Как правильно пишется коктейль молотова

Русский[править]

Тип и синтаксические свойства сочетания[править]

кок—те́йль Мо́—ло—то—ва

Устойчивое сочетание (термин). Используется в качестве именной группы.

Произношение[править]

• МФА: [kɐˈktɛɪ̯lʲ ˈmoɫətəvə]

Семантические свойства[править]

Значение[править]

1. бутылка с зажигательной смесью ◆ Я представил себе, как Витя ползёт под обстрелом к корпусу, вместо коктейля Молотова в каждой руке сжимает по бутылке палёной водки, а танковые снаряды ложатся всё ближе. А. М. Моторов, «Преступление доктора Паровозова», 2013 г. [НКРЯ] ◆ Отвечая на вопросы журналистов, Путин, в частности, сказал, что .. ФБК публиковал рецепты «коктейлей Молотова» (зажигательной смеси). Соратники Навального уже накануне указывали, что .. ФБК не публиковал никаких рецептов «коктейлей Молотова» и не призывал к беспорядкам. Навальный о словах Путина на саммите: «Ни слова правды» // «svoboda.org», 17 июня 2021 г.

Синонимы[править]

1. бандера-смузи (на Украине)

Антонимы[править]

1. ?

Гиперонимы[править]

1. ?

Гипонимы[править]

1. ?

Этимология[править]

Название появилось в годы Советско-финляндской войны 1939–1940 гг. Так в Финляндии назвали бутылки с зажигательной смесью, использовавшиеся в борьбе против советских танков. Смесь из керосина, смолы и бензина разливалась в водочные бутылки на спиртовых заводах; имя министра иностранных дел СССР В. М. Молотова было для финнов синонимом советской агрессии.

Фразеологизмы и устойчивые сочетания[править]

Перевод[править]

Список переводов
Английскийen: Molotov cocktail Немецкийde: Molotowcocktail м., Molotow-Cocktail м.

Библиография[править]

Всего найдено: 9

Здравствуйте! Уже много раз задавал Вам вопрос, ответьте, ПОЖАЛУЙСТА! Очень нужно! Они бросили «Молотов» / «Молотова» / «молотов» / «молотова» – как правильно, если БЕЗ слова «коктейль»? Спасибо за ответ!

Ответ справочной службы русского языка

Рекомендуем писать в кавычках с маленькой буквы: бросить «молотов».

Нет, нет и нет! Извините, мы разбираем, согласно вашему ответу, «склонение компонентов составного слова. Части сложносоставных наименований согласуются в падеже и числе». Ладно, «плащ-палатка» – исключение. А «юбка-карандаш»? Браво вам! Теперь в магазине женской одежды продаются карандаши, а в соседнем, зоологическом, – холодное оружие (мечи) и тяжелые тупые предметы (молоты), прости, Господи! И продавец говорит: нет, юбки-карандаша у нас нет. А покупатель в зоологическом: дайте мне килограммчик рыб-мечей, ну, можно и молотов полкило. Да, будут так говорить, благодаря и вам тоже! Придется ошибку исправить, уважаемые.
P.S. Сегодня в новостях сказали: «Ему грозЯт двадцать лет тюрьмы». Живо представилось: стоят эти годы в количестве двадцати и грозят пальчиком… Да доколе!..

Ответ справочной службы русского языка

Если какая-то часть составного наименования употребляется как самостоятельное слово с другим значением, это вовсе не является препятствием для ее склонения. Если мы говорим о наименованиях животных, насекомых, птиц, растений, то в этих наименованиях последовательно склоняются обе части, и бывают не только рыбы-молоты, но и рыбы-попугаи, журавли-монахи, жуки-олени и т. д.

Скажите, пожалуйста, какое окончание творительного падежа правильно: Молотовом (о городе) и Молотовым (о человеке)? Или распределение окончаний -ом/-ым зависит не от этого? Спасибо!

Ответ справочной службы русского языка

Вы написали окончания правильно. Географические названия на -ов (-ев), -ово (-ево), -ин, -ино (-ыно) имеют в творительном падеже окончание -ом, например: Львов – Львовом, Канев – Каневом, Крюково – Крюковом, Камышин – Камышином, Марьино – Марьином, Голицыно – Голицыном.

В отличие от названий городов русские фамилии на -ин (-ын) и на -ов (-ев) имеют в творительном падеже единственного числа окончание -ым, ср.: Пушкин (фамилия) – Пушкиным и Пушкин (город) – Пушкином; Александров (фамилия) – Александровым и Александров (город) – Александровом.

Добрый вечер!

За одного из них почему-то решился заступиться Молотов.

Как будет правильно — решился или решил?

Ответ справочной службы русского языка

Возможны оба варианта.

Как сейчас называются следующие города: Андропов, Молотов, Баронск, Надеждинск, НЕвдубстрой, Энгельс , Куйбышев?

Ответ справочной службы русского языка

Желаем Вам успехов при выполнении заданий Олимпиады!

Скажите, пожалуйста, насколько соответсвует правилам русского языка следующее положение сайта русской Википедии:
«…при обозначении пространственных пределов, а также сложных эпонимов между словами также ставится тире, которое от предшествующего и последующего символов отделяется пробелами:
поезд Москва — С.-Петербург;
нефтепровод Баку — Тбилиси — Джейхан;
уравнение Менделеева — Клапейрона;
теорема Больцано — Вейерштрасса;
пакт Молотова — Риббентропа и т. п.»

Меня интересует правильность расстановки пробелов. Казалось бы, в параграфе 179 Правил 1956 года приведён пример — «закон Бойля—Мариотта», без пробелов.

Ответ справочной службы русского языка

Тире ставится между двумя или несколькими именами собственными, совокупностью которых называется какое-либо учение, научное учреждение и т. п.: _закон Бойля — Мариотта_. См. Розенталь Д. Э. «Справочник по русскому языку. Пунктуация» (М., 2003) и в http://spravka.gramota.ru/pravila.html?tire.htm [Правилах].

Здравствуйте! Какое оформление всё же правильное: «пакт Риббентропа-Молотова» (без пробелов) или «пакт Риббентропа — Молотова» (с пробелами)? То же самое: «поезд Минск-Киев» или «поезд Минск — Киев»? Заранее благодарен.

Ответ справочной службы русского языка

Правильно: _пакт Риббентропа — Молотова, поезд Минск — Киев_ (с пробелами).

Скажите, пожалуйста, как правильно: «в поселке Курья под г. Молотов» или «под г. Молотовым»? Спасибо.

Ответ справочной службы русского языка

Корректно: _под г. Молотовом_ (с окончанием _-ом_).

Првильна ли пунктуация в предложении: от строительных работ, в частности от вибраций свайных молотов в стенах,…

Ответ справочной службы русского языка

Да, верно.

A Molotov cocktail (among several other names – see other names) is a hand thrown incendiary weapon constructed from a frangible container filled with flammable substances equipped with a fuse (typically a glass bottle filled with flammable liquids sealed with a cloth wick). In use, the fuse attached to the container is lit and the weapon is thrown, shattering on impact. This ignites the flammable substances contained in the bottle and spreads flames as the fuel burns.

Due to their relative ease of production, Molotov cocktails are typically improvised weapons. Their improvised usage spans from criminals, rioters, football hooligans, urban guerrillas, terrorists, irregular soldiers, freedom fighters, and even regular soldiers, in the latter case often due to a shortage of equivalent military-issued weapons. Despite its improvised and rebellious nature, many modern militaries exercise the use of Molotov cocktails.^[1][2][3]

However, Molotov cocktails are not always improvised in the field. It is not uncommon for them to be mass-produced to a certain standard as part of preparation for combat. Some examples of this being done are the anti-invasion preparations of the British Home Guard during WWII and the Ukrainian volunteer units during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. During World War II, Molotov cocktails were even factory produced in several countries, such as: Finland,^[4] Nazi Germany,^[5][6] the Soviet Union,^[5] Sweden^[7][8] and the United States,^[9] some featuring specially designed frangible containers and fuses^[5][6] (such as the US Frangible Grenade M1 for example).^[9]

Etymology[edit]

The name «Molotov cocktail» was coined by the Finns during the Winter War (Finnish: Molotovin cocktail) in 1939.^[10][11][12] The name was a pejorative reference to Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov, who was one of the architects of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact on the eve of World War II.

The name’s origin came from the propaganda Molotov produced during the Winter War, mainly his declaration on Soviet state radio that incendiary bombing missions over Finland were actually «airborne humanitarian food deliveries» for their «starving» neighbours.^[13][10] As a result, the Finns sarcastically dubbed the Soviet incendiary cluster bombs «Molotov bread baskets» (Finnish: Molotovin leipäkori) in reference to Molotov’s propaganda broadcasts.^[14][10] When the hand-held bottle firebomb was developed to attack and destroy Soviet tanks, the Finns called it the «Molotov cocktail», as «a drink to go with his food parcels».^[15][16]

Despite the now infamous name, the formal Finnish military term for the weapon type was (and still is) actually «burn-bottle» (Finnish: polttopullo,^[10][3] Fenno-Swedish: brännflaska).^[2]

Other names[edit]

The weapon most often known as Molotov cocktail goes under a great variety of other names around the globe. Some are more formal than others but the weapon is often given a descriptive name in the respective language.

Common nicknames[edit]

Military names (international)[edit]

Design[edit]

A Molotov cocktail is a glass bottle containing a flammable substance such as petrol (gasoline), alcohol or a napalm-like mixture and a source of ignition, such as a burning cloth wick, held in place by the bottle’s stopper. The wick is usually soaked in alcohol or kerosene rather than petrol. For winter warfare, a method of ignition has been to attach storm matches to the side of the bottle, as these are less likely to be put out by wind.^[23][7][8] Some examples are fitted with ballast for improved throwing accuracy (such as filling 1⁄3 of the bottle with sand).^[18]

In action, the wick/match is lit and the bottle hurled at a target such as a vehicle or fortification. When the bottle smashes on impact, the ensuing cloud of fuel droplets and vapour is ignited by the attached wick, causing an immediate fireball followed by spreading flames as the remainder of the fuel is consumed.

Other flammable liquids, such as diesel fuel, methanol, turpentine, jet fuel, acetone, and isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol), have been used in place of, or combined with, petrol. Thickening agents, such as solvents, extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam (known colloquially as styrofoam),^[24] baking soda, petroleum jelly, tar, strips of tyre tubing, nitrocellulose, motor oil, rubber cement, detergent and dish soap, have been added to promote adhesion of the burning liquid and to create clouds of thick, choking smoke.^[25] There also exist variations on the Molotov cocktail-concept where the bottle is filled with a smoke generating mixture such as sulfur trioxide solved in chlorosulfonic acid.^[26] These so-called «smoke bottles» do not need a source for ignition, as the mixture reacts with the air once the bottle is smashed.^[7][8]

Development and use in war[edit]

Spanish Civil War[edit]

Improvised incendiary devices of this type were used in warfare for the first time in the Spanish Civil War between July 1936 and April 1939,^[27] before they became known as «Molotov cocktails». In 1936, General Francisco Franco ordered Spanish Nationalist forces to use the weapon against Soviet T-26 tanks supporting the Spanish Republicans in a failed assault on the Nationalist stronghold of Seseña, near Toledo, 40 km (25 mi) south of Madrid.^[28] After that, both sides used simple petrol bombs set fire with toxic gas or petrol-soaked blankets with some success. Tom Wintringham, a veteran of the International Brigades, later publicised his recommended method of using them:

We made use of «petrol bombs» roughly as follows: take a 2lb glass jam jar. Fill with petrol. Take a heavy curtain, half a blanket, or some other heavy material. Wrap this over the mouth of the jar, tie it round the neck with string, leave the ends of the material hanging free. When you want to use it have somebody standing by with a light [i.e., a source of ignition]. Put a corner of the material down in front of you, turn the bottle over so that petrol soaks out round the mouth of the bottle and drips on to this corner of the material. Turn the bottle right way up again, hold it in your right hand, most of the blanket bunched beneath the bottle, with your left hand take the blanket near the corner that is wetted with petrol. Wait for your tank. When near enough, your pal [or comrade-in-arms] lights the petrol soaked corner of the blanket. Throw the bottle and blanket as soon as this corner is flaring. (You cannot throw it far.) See that it drops in front of the tank. The blanket should catch in the tracks or in a cog-wheel, or wind itself round an axle. The bottle will smash, but the petrol should soak the blanket well enough to make a really healthy fire which will burn the rubber wheels on which the tank track runs, set fire to the carburettor or frizzle the crew. Do not play with these things. They are highly dangerous.^[29]

Khalkhin Gol[edit]

The Battle of Khalkhin Gol, a border conflict of 1939 ostensibly between Mongolia and Manchukuo, saw heavy fighting between Japanese and Soviet forces. Short of anti-tank equipment, Japanese infantry attacked Soviet tanks with gasoline-filled bottles. Japanese infantrymen claimed that several hundred Soviet tanks had been destroyed this way, though Soviet loss records do not support this assessment.^[30]

World War II[edit]

Finland[edit]

On 30 November 1939, the Soviet Union attacked Finland, starting what came to be known as the Winter War. The Finnish perfected the design and tactical use of the petrol bomb. The fuel for the Molotov cocktail was refined to a slightly sticky mixture of alcohol, kerosene, tar, and potassium chlorate. Further refinements included the attachment of wind-proof matches or a phial of chemicals that would ignite on breakage, thereby removing the need to pre-ignite the bottle, and leaving the bottle about one-third empty was found to make breaking more likely.^[23]

A British War Office report dated June 1940 noted that:

The Finns’ policy was to allow the Russian tanks to penetrate their defences, even inducing them to do so by ‘canalising’ them through gaps and concentrating their small arms fire on the infantry following them. The tanks that penetrated were taken on by gun fire in the open and by small parties of men armed with explosive charges and petrol bombs in the forests and villages… The essence of the policy was the separation of the AFVs from the infantry, as once on their own the tank has many blind spots and once brought to a stop can be disposed of at leisure.^[31]

Molotov cocktails were eventually mass-produced by the Alko corporation at its Rajamäki distillery, bundled with matches to light them.^[4] A 500 millilitres (0.53 US qt) bottle was filled with a mixture of petrol and paraffin, plus a small amount of tar. The basic bottle had two long pyrotechnic storm matches attached to either side. Before use, one or both of the matches was lit; when the bottle broke on impact, the mixture ignited. The storm matches were found to be safer to use than a burning rag on the mouth of the bottle. There was also an «A bottle». This replaced the matches with a small ampoule inside the bottle; it ignited when the bottle broke. By Spring 1940 they had produced 542,104 bottles.^[32]

Great Britain[edit]

Early in 1940, with the prospect of immediate invasion, the possibilities of the petrol bomb gripped the imagination of the British public. For laypersons, the petrol bomb had the benefit of using entirely familiar and available materials,^[33] and they were quickly improvised in large numbers, with the intention of using them against enemy tanks.^[34]

The Finns had found that they were effective when used in the right way and in sufficient numbers. Although the experience of the Spanish Civil War received more publicity, the more sophisticated petroleum warfare tactics of the Finns were not lost on British commanders. In his 5 June address to LDV leaders, General Ironside said:

I want to develop this thing they developed in Finland, called the «Molotov cocktail», a bottle filled with resin, petrol and tar which if thrown on top of a tank will ignite, and if you throw half a dozen or more on it you have them cooked. It is quite an effective thing. If you can use your ingenuity, I give you a picture of a [road] block with two houses close to the block, overlooking it. There are many villages like that. Out of the top windows is the place to drop these things on the tank as it passes the block. It may only stop it for two minutes there, but it will be quite effective.^[35]

Wintringham advised that a tank that was isolated from supporting infantry was potentially vulnerable to men who had the required determination and cunning to get close. Rifles or even a shotgun would be sufficient to persuade the crew to close all the hatches, and then the view from the tank is very limited; a turret-mounted machine gun has a very slow traverse and cannot hope to fend off attackers coming from all directions. Once sufficiently close, it is possible to hide where the tank’s gunner cannot see: «The most dangerous distance away from a tank is 200 yards; the safest distance is six inches.»^[36] Petrol bombs will soon produce a pall of blinding smoke, and a well-placed explosive package or even a stout iron bar in the tracks can immobilise the vehicle, leaving it at the mercy of further petrol bombs – which will suffocate the engine and possibly the crew – or an explosive charge or anti-tank mine.

By August 1940, the War Office produced training instructions for the creation and use of Molotov cocktails. The instructions suggested scoring the bottles vertically with a diamond to ensure breakage and providing fuel-soaked rag, windproof matches or a length of cinema film (then composed of highly flammable nitrocellulose) as a source of ignition.^[37]

On 29 July 1940, manufacturers Albright & Wilson of Oldbury demonstrated to the RAF how their white phosphorus could be used to ignite incendiary bombs. The demonstration involved throwing glass bottles containing a mixture of petrol and phosphorus at pieces of wood and into a hut. On breaking, the phosphorus was exposed to the air and spontaneously ignited; the petrol also burned, resulting in a fierce fire. Because of safety concerns, the RAF was not interested in white phosphorus as a source of ignition, but the idea of a self-igniting petrol bomb took hold. Initially known as an A.W. bomb, it was officially named the No. 76 Grenade, but more commonly known as the SIP (Self-Igniting Phosphorus) grenade. The perfected list of ingredients was white phosphorus, benzene, water and a two-inch strip of raw rubber; all in a half-pint bottle sealed with a crown stopper.^[38] Over time, the rubber would slowly dissolve, making the contents slightly sticky, and the mixture would separate into two layers – this was intentional, and the grenade should not be shaken to mix the layers, as this would only delay ignition.^[39] When thrown against a hard surface, the glass would shatter and the contents would instantly ignite, liberating choking fumes of phosphorus pentoxide and sulfur dioxide as well as producing a great deal of heat.^[38] Strict instructions were issued to store the grenades safely, preferably underwater and certainly never in a house.^[38] Mainly issued to the Home Guard as an anti-tank weapon, it was produced in vast numbers; by August 1941 well over 6,000,000 had been manufactured.^[40]

There were many who were sceptical about the efficacy of Molotov cocktails and SIPs grenades against the more modern German tanks. Weapon designer Stuart Macrae witnessed a trial of the SIPs grenade at Farnborough: «There was some concern that, if the tank drivers could not pull up quickly enough and hop out, they were likely to be frizzled to death, but after looking at the bottles they said they would be happy to take a chance.»^[41] The drivers were proved right, trials on modern British tanks confirmed that Molotov and SIP grenades caused the occupants of the tanks «no inconvenience whatsoever.»^[42]

Wintringham, though enthusiastic about improvised weapons, cautioned against a reliance on petrol bombs and repeatedly emphasised the importance of using explosive charges.^[43][44]

United States[edit]

The US army designated Molotov cocktails as frangible grenades. They presented a notable amount of variations, from those that used thin fuel with varied ignition systems, to those that used obscurants and chemical weapons. Various frangible grenade designs were developed, with those investiged by the NDRC showing the highest technological level. These incendiary devices employed the most technologically advanced fillers in the conflict.

The M1 frangible grenade was the standard US device, but each division of the army could come up with its own. Two non-industrial models of these grenades were developed and manufactured in a certain quantity. In all, about five thousand were manufactured.^[45] The frangible grenades featured standardized chemical igniters, some were specific to each flammable filler.

Most of the frangible devices were made in an improvised way, with no standardization regarding the bottle and filling. ^[46] The frangible grenades were eventually declared obsolete, ^[46] due to the very limited destructive effect.^[47]

1107 frangible, M1, NP type were supplied to the navy and its units for field use at Iwo Jima.^[48]

Other fronts of World War II[edit]

The Polish Home Army developed a version^[49] which ignited on impact without the need of a wick. Ignition was caused by a reaction between concentrated sulfuric acid mixed with the fuel and a mixture of potassium chlorate and sugar which was crystallized from solution onto a rag attached to the bottle.

During the Norwegian campaign in 1940 the Norwegian Army lacking suitable anti-tank weaponry had to rely on petrol bombs and other improvised weapons to fight German armored vehicles. Instructions from Norwegian High Command sent to army units in April 1940 encouraged soldiers to start ad-hoc production of «Hitler cocktails» (a different take on the Finnish nickname for the weapon) to combat tanks and armored cars.^[50] During the campaign there were instances of petrol bombs being relatively effective against the lighter tanks employed in Norway by Germany, such as the Panzer I and Panzer II.

The United States Marine Corps developed a version during World War II that used a tube of nitric acid and a lump of metallic sodium to ignite a mixture of petrol and diesel fuel.^[51]

Modern warfare[edit]

During the Second Battle of Fallujah in 2004, U.S. Marines employed Molotov cocktails made with «one part liquid laundry detergent, two parts gas» while clearing houses «when contact is made in a house and the enemy must be burned out». The tactic «was developed in response to the enemy’s tactics» of guerrilla warfare and particularly martyrdom tactics which often resulted in U.S. Marine casualties. The cocktail was a less expedient alternative to white phosphorus mortar rounds or propane tanks detonated with C4 (nicknamed the «House Guest»), all of which proved effective at burning out engaged enemy combatants.^[52]

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry told civilians to make Molotov cocktails, locally called «Bandera smoothies»,^[53] to fight Russian troops.^[54] The defense ministry distributed a recipe for producing Molotov cocktails to civilians through Ukrainian television, which included the use of styrofoam as a thickening agent to aid in helping the burning liquid stick to vehicles or other targets.^[55] The Pravda Brewery of Lviv, which converted from making beer to Molotov cocktails, said that their recipe was «3 cups polystyrene, 2 cups grated soap, 500 millilitres gasoline, 100 millilitres oil, 1 jumbo tampon fuse.»^[56] The Russian media control organisation Roskomnadzor sued Twitter for not removing instructions for how to prepare and use molotov cocktails, so that Twitter had to pay a fine of 3 million roubles (US$41,000).^[57]

Civilian use[edit]

Molotov cocktails were reportedly used in the United States for arson attacks on shops and other buildings during the 1992 Los Angeles riots.^[58]

Molotov cocktails were also used by protesters and civilian militia in Ukraine during violent outbreaks of the Euromaidan and the Revolution of Dignity. Protesters during the Ferguson riots used Molotov cocktails.^[59]

In Bangladesh during anti government protests at the time of the 2014 national election, many buses and cars were targeted with petrol bombs. A number of people burnt to death and many more were injured during the period 2013–2014 due to petrol bomb attacks.^[60][61]

In the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests, protesters used Molotov cocktails to defend themselves from police or to create roadblocks. Protesters also attacked an MTR station and caused severe damage.^[62] A journalist was also hit by a Molotov cocktail during the protests.^[63]

Molotov cocktails were used by some during the George Floyd riots of 2020 in the United States.^[64]

Non-incendiary variants[edit]

During the protests in Venezuela from 2014 and into 2017, protesters had been using Molotov cocktails similar to those used by demonstrators in other countries.^[65] As the 2017 Venezuelan protests intensified, demonstrators began using «Puputovs», a play on words of Molotov, with glass devices filled with excrement being thrown at authorities after the PSUV ruling-party official, Jacqueline Faría, mocked protesters who had to crawl through sewage in Caracas’ Guaire River to avoid tear gas.^[66][67]

On 8 May, the hashtag #puputov became the top trend on Twitter in Venezuela as reports of authorities vomiting after being drenched in excrement began to circulate.^[67][68] A month later on 4 June 2017 during protests against Donald Trump in Portland, Oregon, police claimed protesters began throwing balloons filled with «unknown, foul-smelling liquid» at officers.^[69]

Legality[edit]

As incendiary devices, Molotov cocktails are illegal to manufacture or possess in many regions. In the United States, Molotov cocktails are considered «destructive devices» under the National Firearms Act and are regulated by the ATF.^[70] Wil Casey Floyd, from Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, was arrested after throwing Molotov cocktails at Seattle police officers during a protest in May 2016; he pleaded guilty for using the incendiary devices in February 2018.^[71]

In Simpson County, Kentucky, 20-year-old Trey Alexander Gwathney-Law attempted to burn Franklin-Simpson County Middle School with five Molotov cocktails; he was found guilty of making and possessing illegal firearms and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2018.^[72]

Symbolism[edit]

Due to the Molotov’s ease of production and use by civilian forces, the Molotov cocktail has become a symbol of civil uprising and revolution. The Molotov’s extensive use by civilian, and partisan forces has also thereby led to the Molotov becoming a symbol representing civil unrest.^[73][74] The Molotov has strong association with anarchism due to anarchists’ use of the Molotov, and anarchists engaging in civil uprisings and unrest across the world, with protesters organizing from Chile and Iran, to Egypt and Hong Kong.^[75][76][77] The contrast of a Molotov cocktail and an organized force has become a popular symbol in popular culture,^[78] and often utilized as a weapon in various video games.

Gallery[edit]

• 

• 

See also[edit]

• Flamethrower
• Improvised firearm
• Insurgency weapons and tactics
• Urban guerrilla warfare
• No. 73 Grenade
• Molotov bread basket
• Improvised explosive device
• TM 31-210 Improvised Munitions Handbook

References[edit]

Specific[edit]

Works cited[edit]

• Graves, Charles (1943). The Home Guard of Britain. Hutchinson & Co.
• Macrae, Stuart (1971). Winston Churchill’s Toyshop. Roundwood Press. SBN 900093-22-6.
• Trotter, William R. (2003). The Winter War, The Russo-Finnish War of 1939–40. Aurum Press, Limited. ISBN 9781854109323.
• Wintringham, Tom (1940). New Ways of War. Penguin.

Collections[edit]

• «The National Archives». Repository of UK government records. Retrieved 26 August 2010.

External links[edit]

• A detailed technology of the Molotov cocktail
• History of the Molotov cocktail by William R. Trotter
• Homemade Tank Bomb Archived 9 November 2017 at the Wayback Machine June 1941 Popular Science showing US public the Molotov Cocktail as used in the European Wars
• A Thousand Lakes of Red Blood on White Snow, a brief history of the subarctic origins of the Molotov cocktail in the Russo-Finnish Winter War of 1939–40

A Molotov cocktail (among several other names – see other names) is a hand thrown incendiary weapon constructed from a frangible container filled with flammable substances equipped with a fuse (typically a glass bottle filled with flammable liquids sealed with a cloth wick). In use, the fuse attached to the container is lit and the weapon is thrown, shattering on impact. This ignites the flammable substances contained in the bottle and spreads flames as the fuel burns.

Due to their relative ease of production, Molotov cocktails are typically improvised weapons. Their improvised usage spans from criminals, rioters, football hooligans, urban guerrillas, terrorists, irregular soldiers, freedom fighters, and even regular soldiers, in the latter case often due to a shortage of equivalent military-issued weapons. Despite its improvised and rebellious nature, many modern militaries exercise the use of Molotov cocktails.^[1][2][3]

However, Molotov cocktails are not always improvised in the field. It is not uncommon for them to be mass-produced to a certain standard as part of preparation for combat. Some examples of this being done are the anti-invasion preparations of the British Home Guard during WWII and the Ukrainian volunteer units during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. During World War II, Molotov cocktails were even factory produced in several countries, such as: Finland,^[4] Nazi Germany,^[5][6] the Soviet Union,^[5] Sweden^[7][8] and the United States,^[9] some featuring specially designed frangible containers and fuses^[5][6] (such as the US Frangible Grenade M1 for example).^[9]

Etymology[edit]

The name «Molotov cocktail» was coined by the Finns during the Winter War (Finnish: Molotovin cocktail) in 1939.^[10][11][12] The name was a pejorative reference to Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov, who was one of the architects of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact on the eve of World War II.

The name’s origin came from the propaganda Molotov produced during the Winter War, mainly his declaration on Soviet state radio that incendiary bombing missions over Finland were actually «airborne humanitarian food deliveries» for their «starving» neighbours.^[13][10] As a result, the Finns sarcastically dubbed the Soviet incendiary cluster bombs «Molotov bread baskets» (Finnish: Molotovin leipäkori) in reference to Molotov’s propaganda broadcasts.^[14][10] When the hand-held bottle firebomb was developed to attack and destroy Soviet tanks, the Finns called it the «Molotov cocktail», as «a drink to go with his food parcels».^[15][16]

Despite the now infamous name, the formal Finnish military term for the weapon type was (and still is) actually «burn-bottle» (Finnish: polttopullo,^[10][3] Fenno-Swedish: brännflaska).^[2]

Other names[edit]

The weapon most often known as Molotov cocktail goes under a great variety of other names around the globe. Some are more formal than others but the weapon is often given a descriptive name in the respective language.

Common nicknames[edit]

Military names (international)[edit]

Design[edit]

A Molotov cocktail is a glass bottle containing a flammable substance such as petrol (gasoline), alcohol or a napalm-like mixture and a source of ignition, such as a burning cloth wick, held in place by the bottle’s stopper. The wick is usually soaked in alcohol or kerosene rather than petrol. For winter warfare, a method of ignition has been to attach storm matches to the side of the bottle, as these are less likely to be put out by wind.^[23][7][8] Some examples are fitted with ballast for improved throwing accuracy (such as filling 1⁄3 of the bottle with sand).^[18]

In action, the wick/match is lit and the bottle hurled at a target such as a vehicle or fortification. When the bottle smashes on impact, the ensuing cloud of fuel droplets and vapour is ignited by the attached wick, causing an immediate fireball followed by spreading flames as the remainder of the fuel is consumed.

Other flammable liquids, such as diesel fuel, methanol, turpentine, jet fuel, acetone, and isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol), have been used in place of, or combined with, petrol. Thickening agents, such as solvents, extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam (known colloquially as styrofoam),^[24] baking soda, petroleum jelly, tar, strips of tyre tubing, nitrocellulose, motor oil, rubber cement, detergent and dish soap, have been added to promote adhesion of the burning liquid and to create clouds of thick, choking smoke.^[25] There also exist variations on the Molotov cocktail-concept where the bottle is filled with a smoke generating mixture such as sulfur trioxide solved in chlorosulfonic acid.^[26] These so-called «smoke bottles» do not need a source for ignition, as the mixture reacts with the air once the bottle is smashed.^[7][8]

Development and use in war[edit]

Spanish Civil War[edit]

Improvised incendiary devices of this type were used in warfare for the first time in the Spanish Civil War between July 1936 and April 1939,^[27] before they became known as «Molotov cocktails». In 1936, General Francisco Franco ordered Spanish Nationalist forces to use the weapon against Soviet T-26 tanks supporting the Spanish Republicans in a failed assault on the Nationalist stronghold of Seseña, near Toledo, 40 km (25 mi) south of Madrid.^[28] After that, both sides used simple petrol bombs set fire with toxic gas or petrol-soaked blankets with some success. Tom Wintringham, a veteran of the International Brigades, later publicised his recommended method of using them:

We made use of «petrol bombs» roughly as follows: take a 2lb glass jam jar. Fill with petrol. Take a heavy curtain, half a blanket, or some other heavy material. Wrap this over the mouth of the jar, tie it round the neck with string, leave the ends of the material hanging free. When you want to use it have somebody standing by with a light [i.e., a source of ignition]. Put a corner of the material down in front of you, turn the bottle over so that petrol soaks out round the mouth of the bottle and drips on to this corner of the material. Turn the bottle right way up again, hold it in your right hand, most of the blanket bunched beneath the bottle, with your left hand take the blanket near the corner that is wetted with petrol. Wait for your tank. When near enough, your pal [or comrade-in-arms] lights the petrol soaked corner of the blanket. Throw the bottle and blanket as soon as this corner is flaring. (You cannot throw it far.) See that it drops in front of the tank. The blanket should catch in the tracks or in a cog-wheel, or wind itself round an axle. The bottle will smash, but the petrol should soak the blanket well enough to make a really healthy fire which will burn the rubber wheels on which the tank track runs, set fire to the carburettor or frizzle the crew. Do not play with these things. They are highly dangerous.^[29]

Khalkhin Gol[edit]

The Battle of Khalkhin Gol, a border conflict of 1939 ostensibly between Mongolia and Manchukuo, saw heavy fighting between Japanese and Soviet forces. Short of anti-tank equipment, Japanese infantry attacked Soviet tanks with gasoline-filled bottles. Japanese infantrymen claimed that several hundred Soviet tanks had been destroyed this way, though Soviet loss records do not support this assessment.^[30]

World War II[edit]

Finland[edit]

On 30 November 1939, the Soviet Union attacked Finland, starting what came to be known as the Winter War. The Finnish perfected the design and tactical use of the petrol bomb. The fuel for the Molotov cocktail was refined to a slightly sticky mixture of alcohol, kerosene, tar, and potassium chlorate. Further refinements included the attachment of wind-proof matches or a phial of chemicals that would ignite on breakage, thereby removing the need to pre-ignite the bottle, and leaving the bottle about one-third empty was found to make breaking more likely.^[23]

A British War Office report dated June 1940 noted that:

The Finns’ policy was to allow the Russian tanks to penetrate their defences, even inducing them to do so by ‘canalising’ them through gaps and concentrating their small arms fire on the infantry following them. The tanks that penetrated were taken on by gun fire in the open and by small parties of men armed with explosive charges and petrol bombs in the forests and villages… The essence of the policy was the separation of the AFVs from the infantry, as once on their own the tank has many blind spots and once brought to a stop can be disposed of at leisure.^[31]

Molotov cocktails were eventually mass-produced by the Alko corporation at its Rajamäki distillery, bundled with matches to light them.^[4] A 500 millilitres (0.53 US qt) bottle was filled with a mixture of petrol and paraffin, plus a small amount of tar. The basic bottle had two long pyrotechnic storm matches attached to either side. Before use, one or both of the matches was lit; when the bottle broke on impact, the mixture ignited. The storm matches were found to be safer to use than a burning rag on the mouth of the bottle. There was also an «A bottle». This replaced the matches with a small ampoule inside the bottle; it ignited when the bottle broke. By Spring 1940 they had produced 542,104 bottles.^[32]

Great Britain[edit]

Early in 1940, with the prospect of immediate invasion, the possibilities of the petrol bomb gripped the imagination of the British public. For laypersons, the petrol bomb had the benefit of using entirely familiar and available materials,^[33] and they were quickly improvised in large numbers, with the intention of using them against enemy tanks.^[34]

The Finns had found that they were effective when used in the right way and in sufficient numbers. Although the experience of the Spanish Civil War received more publicity, the more sophisticated petroleum warfare tactics of the Finns were not lost on British commanders. In his 5 June address to LDV leaders, General Ironside said:

I want to develop this thing they developed in Finland, called the «Molotov cocktail», a bottle filled with resin, petrol and tar which if thrown on top of a tank will ignite, and if you throw half a dozen or more on it you have them cooked. It is quite an effective thing. If you can use your ingenuity, I give you a picture of a [road] block with two houses close to the block, overlooking it. There are many villages like that. Out of the top windows is the place to drop these things on the tank as it passes the block. It may only stop it for two minutes there, but it will be quite effective.^[35]

Wintringham advised that a tank that was isolated from supporting infantry was potentially vulnerable to men who had the required determination and cunning to get close. Rifles or even a shotgun would be sufficient to persuade the crew to close all the hatches, and then the view from the tank is very limited; a turret-mounted machine gun has a very slow traverse and cannot hope to fend off attackers coming from all directions. Once sufficiently close, it is possible to hide where the tank’s gunner cannot see: «The most dangerous distance away from a tank is 200 yards; the safest distance is six inches.»^[36] Petrol bombs will soon produce a pall of blinding smoke, and a well-placed explosive package or even a stout iron bar in the tracks can immobilise the vehicle, leaving it at the mercy of further petrol bombs – which will suffocate the engine and possibly the crew – or an explosive charge or anti-tank mine.

By August 1940, the War Office produced training instructions for the creation and use of Molotov cocktails. The instructions suggested scoring the bottles vertically with a diamond to ensure breakage and providing fuel-soaked rag, windproof matches or a length of cinema film (then composed of highly flammable nitrocellulose) as a source of ignition.^[37]

On 29 July 1940, manufacturers Albright & Wilson of Oldbury demonstrated to the RAF how their white phosphorus could be used to ignite incendiary bombs. The demonstration involved throwing glass bottles containing a mixture of petrol and phosphorus at pieces of wood and into a hut. On breaking, the phosphorus was exposed to the air and spontaneously ignited; the petrol also burned, resulting in a fierce fire. Because of safety concerns, the RAF was not interested in white phosphorus as a source of ignition, but the idea of a self-igniting petrol bomb took hold. Initially known as an A.W. bomb, it was officially named the No. 76 Grenade, but more commonly known as the SIP (Self-Igniting Phosphorus) grenade. The perfected list of ingredients was white phosphorus, benzene, water and a two-inch strip of raw rubber; all in a half-pint bottle sealed with a crown stopper.^[38] Over time, the rubber would slowly dissolve, making the contents slightly sticky, and the mixture would separate into two layers – this was intentional, and the grenade should not be shaken to mix the layers, as this would only delay ignition.^[39] When thrown against a hard surface, the glass would shatter and the contents would instantly ignite, liberating choking fumes of phosphorus pentoxide and sulfur dioxide as well as producing a great deal of heat.^[38] Strict instructions were issued to store the grenades safely, preferably underwater and certainly never in a house.^[38] Mainly issued to the Home Guard as an anti-tank weapon, it was produced in vast numbers; by August 1941 well over 6,000,000 had been manufactured.^[40]

There were many who were sceptical about the efficacy of Molotov cocktails and SIPs grenades against the more modern German tanks. Weapon designer Stuart Macrae witnessed a trial of the SIPs grenade at Farnborough: «There was some concern that, if the tank drivers could not pull up quickly enough and hop out, they were likely to be frizzled to death, but after looking at the bottles they said they would be happy to take a chance.»^[41] The drivers were proved right, trials on modern British tanks confirmed that Molotov and SIP grenades caused the occupants of the tanks «no inconvenience whatsoever.»^[42]

Wintringham, though enthusiastic about improvised weapons, cautioned against a reliance on petrol bombs and repeatedly emphasised the importance of using explosive charges.^[43][44]

United States[edit]

The US army designated Molotov cocktails as frangible grenades. They presented a notable amount of variations, from those that used thin fuel with varied ignition systems, to those that used obscurants and chemical weapons. Various frangible grenade designs were developed, with those investiged by the NDRC showing the highest technological level. These incendiary devices employed the most technologically advanced fillers in the conflict.

The M1 frangible grenade was the standard US device, but each division of the army could come up with its own. Two non-industrial models of these grenades were developed and manufactured in a certain quantity. In all, about five thousand were manufactured.^[45] The frangible grenades featured standardized chemical igniters, some were specific to each flammable filler.

Most of the frangible devices were made in an improvised way, with no standardization regarding the bottle and filling. ^[46] The frangible grenades were eventually declared obsolete, ^[46] due to the very limited destructive effect.^[47]

1107 frangible, M1, NP type were supplied to the navy and its units for field use at Iwo Jima.^[48]

Other fronts of World War II[edit]

The Polish Home Army developed a version^[49] which ignited on impact without the need of a wick. Ignition was caused by a reaction between concentrated sulfuric acid mixed with the fuel and a mixture of potassium chlorate and sugar which was crystallized from solution onto a rag attached to the bottle.

During the Norwegian campaign in 1940 the Norwegian Army lacking suitable anti-tank weaponry had to rely on petrol bombs and other improvised weapons to fight German armored vehicles. Instructions from Norwegian High Command sent to army units in April 1940 encouraged soldiers to start ad-hoc production of «Hitler cocktails» (a different take on the Finnish nickname for the weapon) to combat tanks and armored cars.^[50] During the campaign there were instances of petrol bombs being relatively effective against the lighter tanks employed in Norway by Germany, such as the Panzer I and Panzer II.

The United States Marine Corps developed a version during World War II that used a tube of nitric acid and a lump of metallic sodium to ignite a mixture of petrol and diesel fuel.^[51]

Modern warfare[edit]

During the Second Battle of Fallujah in 2004, U.S. Marines employed Molotov cocktails made with «one part liquid laundry detergent, two parts gas» while clearing houses «when contact is made in a house and the enemy must be burned out». The tactic «was developed in response to the enemy’s tactics» of guerrilla warfare and particularly martyrdom tactics which often resulted in U.S. Marine casualties. The cocktail was a less expedient alternative to white phosphorus mortar rounds or propane tanks detonated with C4 (nicknamed the «House Guest»), all of which proved effective at burning out engaged enemy combatants.^[52]

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry told civilians to make Molotov cocktails, locally called «Bandera smoothies»,^[53] to fight Russian troops.^[54] The defense ministry distributed a recipe for producing Molotov cocktails to civilians through Ukrainian television, which included the use of styrofoam as a thickening agent to aid in helping the burning liquid stick to vehicles or other targets.^[55] The Pravda Brewery of Lviv, which converted from making beer to Molotov cocktails, said that their recipe was «3 cups polystyrene, 2 cups grated soap, 500 millilitres gasoline, 100 millilitres oil, 1 jumbo tampon fuse.»^[56] The Russian media control organisation Roskomnadzor sued Twitter for not removing instructions for how to prepare and use molotov cocktails, so that Twitter had to pay a fine of 3 million roubles (US$41,000).^[57]

Civilian use[edit]

Molotov cocktails were reportedly used in the United States for arson attacks on shops and other buildings during the 1992 Los Angeles riots.^[58]

Molotov cocktails were also used by protesters and civilian militia in Ukraine during violent outbreaks of the Euromaidan and the Revolution of Dignity. Protesters during the Ferguson riots used Molotov cocktails.^[59]

In Bangladesh during anti government protests at the time of the 2014 national election, many buses and cars were targeted with petrol bombs. A number of people burnt to death and many more were injured during the period 2013–2014 due to petrol bomb attacks.^[60][61]

In the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests, protesters used Molotov cocktails to defend themselves from police or to create roadblocks. Protesters also attacked an MTR station and caused severe damage.^[62] A journalist was also hit by a Molotov cocktail during the protests.^[63]

Molotov cocktails were used by some during the George Floyd riots of 2020 in the United States.^[64]

Non-incendiary variants[edit]

During the protests in Venezuela from 2014 and into 2017, protesters had been using Molotov cocktails similar to those used by demonstrators in other countries.^[65] As the 2017 Venezuelan protests intensified, demonstrators began using «Puputovs», a play on words of Molotov, with glass devices filled with excrement being thrown at authorities after the PSUV ruling-party official, Jacqueline Faría, mocked protesters who had to crawl through sewage in Caracas’ Guaire River to avoid tear gas.^[66][67]

On 8 May, the hashtag #puputov became the top trend on Twitter in Venezuela as reports of authorities vomiting after being drenched in excrement began to circulate.^[67][68] A month later on 4 June 2017 during protests against Donald Trump in Portland, Oregon, police claimed protesters began throwing balloons filled with «unknown, foul-smelling liquid» at officers.^[69]

Legality[edit]

As incendiary devices, Molotov cocktails are illegal to manufacture or possess in many regions. In the United States, Molotov cocktails are considered «destructive devices» under the National Firearms Act and are regulated by the ATF.^[70] Wil Casey Floyd, from Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, was arrested after throwing Molotov cocktails at Seattle police officers during a protest in May 2016; he pleaded guilty for using the incendiary devices in February 2018.^[71]

In Simpson County, Kentucky, 20-year-old Trey Alexander Gwathney-Law attempted to burn Franklin-Simpson County Middle School with five Molotov cocktails; he was found guilty of making and possessing illegal firearms and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2018.^[72]

Symbolism[edit]

Due to the Molotov’s ease of production and use by civilian forces, the Molotov cocktail has become a symbol of civil uprising and revolution. The Molotov’s extensive use by civilian, and partisan forces has also thereby led to the Molotov becoming a symbol representing civil unrest.^[73][74] The Molotov has strong association with anarchism due to anarchists’ use of the Molotov, and anarchists engaging in civil uprisings and unrest across the world, with protesters organizing from Chile and Iran, to Egypt and Hong Kong.^[75][76][77] The contrast of a Molotov cocktail and an organized force has become a popular symbol in popular culture,^[78] and often utilized as a weapon in various video games.

Gallery[edit]

• 

• 

See also[edit]

• Flamethrower
• Improvised firearm
• Insurgency weapons and tactics
• Urban guerrilla warfare
• No. 73 Grenade
• Molotov bread basket
• Improvised explosive device
• TM 31-210 Improvised Munitions Handbook

References[edit]

Specific[edit]

Works cited[edit]

• Graves, Charles (1943). The Home Guard of Britain. Hutchinson & Co.
• Macrae, Stuart (1971). Winston Churchill’s Toyshop. Roundwood Press. SBN 900093-22-6.
• Trotter, William R. (2003). The Winter War, The Russo-Finnish War of 1939–40. Aurum Press, Limited. ISBN 9781854109323.
• Wintringham, Tom (1940). New Ways of War. Penguin.

Collections[edit]

• «The National Archives». Repository of UK government records. Retrieved 26 August 2010.

External links[edit]

• A detailed technology of the Molotov cocktail
• History of the Molotov cocktail by William R. Trotter
• Homemade Tank Bomb Archived 9 November 2017 at the Wayback Machine June 1941 Popular Science showing US public the Molotov Cocktail as used in the European Wars
• A Thousand Lakes of Red Blood on White Snow, a brief history of the subarctic origins of the Molotov cocktail in the Russo-Finnish Winter War of 1939–40

Коктейль Молотова

Смотреть что такое «Коктейль Молотова» в других словарях:

• Коктейль Молотова — общее название простейших жидкостных бомб. Благодаря легкости изготовления коктейль Молотова является распространенным оружием партизанской и уличной войны. Название – по имени В. М. Молотова. Вячеслав Михайлович Молотов (наст. фам. Скрябин)… …   Судьба эпонимов. Словарь-справочник

• коктейль Молотова — так в Финляндии назвали бутылки с зажигательной смесью, использовавшиеся в борьбе против советских танков зимой 1939 1940 годов. Смесь из керосина, смолы и бензина разливалась в водочные бутылки на спиртовых заводах; имя министра иностранных дел… …   Справочник по фразеологии

• КОКТЕЙЛЬ МОЛОТОВА — см. бутылкас зажигательной смесью …   Энциклопедия вооружений

• КОКТЕЙЛЬ — Молотова. Жарг. арм. Бутылка с зажигательной смесью. /em> Из англ.: Molotov’s coctail. Кор., 134; Лаз., 15. Коктейль «Пенная смерть». Жарг. мол. Смесь водки с пивом. Максимов, 188 …   Большой словарь русских поговорок

• Коктейль (значения) — В Викисловаре есть статья «коктейль» Коктейль  напиток, получаемый смешиванием нескольких жидкостей. Кроме того, термин …   Википедия

• Молотова коктейль — см. Коктейль Молотова …   Судьба эпонимов. Словарь-справочник

• Молотов, Вячеслав Михайлович — Вячеслав Михайлович Молотов Вячеслав Михайлович Скрябин …   Википедия

• Postal 2 — Обложка диска Postal 2 Разработчик …   Википедия

• Молотов — Молотов, Вячеслав Михайлович Вячеслав Михайлович Молотов Вячеслав Михайлович Скрябин …   Википедия

• В.М. Молотов — Вячеслав Михайлович Молотов Вячеслав Михайлович Скрябин …   Википедия

(перенаправлено с «Коктейль молотова»)

Коктейль Молотова или Бутылка с зажигательной смесью — общее название простейших жидкостных зажигательных гранат. Обычная конструкция — стеклянная бутылка, содержащая горючую жидкость, и запал (в самом примитивном варианте на горлышке закреплена смоченная горючим тряпка).

Изначально это оружие называлось «финский коктейль для Молотова», но затем ради звучности и звонкости смысловой предлог убрали, и получился просто «коктейль Молотова».

Происхождение названия[править]

Само название «коктейль Молотова» произошло от имени председателя Совнаркома и министра иностранных дел СССР В. М. Молотова. По одной версии, бутылки с горючей смесью стали изготавливать на финских алкогольных заводах по приказу властей с формулировкой «Нам нужна жидкость, которая долго горит, и плохо тухнет». Это произошло после того, как Молотов обмолвился в одном из выступлений, что «Уже завтра мы будем ужинать в Хельсинках». Также вскоре в эфир финского радио вышла песня «Нет, Молотов!». Во время Зимней войны финская армия стала использовать такие бутылки как противотанковое средство.

Хельсинки подвергался постоянным бомбардировкам советской авиации. Между тем Молотов в одном из своих радиовыступлений заявил, что советские бомбардировщики не сбрасывают бомбы, а доставляют продовольствие голодающим финнам. Финны немедленно стали называть советскую кассетную авиационную бомбу РРАБ-3 «хлебной корзиной Молотова», а малогабаритные авиабомбы — «хлебницами Молотова». Бомба была длиной 2,25 метра и диаметром 0,9 метра, содержала 60 маленьких зажигательных бомб. За счёт хвостового оперения бомба вращалась при падении, центробежной силой разбрасывая малые бомбы.

По аналогии, финская армия стала называть «коктейлем Молотова» свои бутылки с зажигательной смесью (до этого фин. polttopullo — «зажигательная бутылка»). В финской литературе встречается утверждение, что в самой Финляндии бутылки с зажигательной смесью получили название «коктейль для Молотова», однако иностранные журналисты переиначили название в «коктейль Молотова». Первоначально название употреблялось только к горящей смеси непосредственно, но скоро название закрепилось за изделием в виде бутылки с горючей смесью. Большую роль тут сыграла пропаганда, — если в газетах, особенно англоязычных, термин «коктейль Молотова» стал обычным делом, в окопах осталась «горящая бутылка».

Применение[править]

«Коктейли Молотова» применяются главным образом против автомобилей и бронетехники. При броске основной целью является попадание горящей жидкости в моторное отделение. Использование сопряжено с риском для жизни из-за необходимости подобраться к цели на расстояние броска. В целом эффективность бутылочных атак против бронетехники невелика: для поражения двигателя необходимо попасть в вентиляционные решётки сзади от башни, а для этого нужно находиться сбоку или сзади от танка, что обычно возможно только в условиях городской герильи, либо бросить бутылку из окопа, который в этот момент пересекает танк. Во время Второй мировой войны вентиляционные решётки танков стали закрывать рабицей. Благодаря этому бутылки пружинили и, не разбиваясь, скатывались с танка. Современные танки снабжены надёжными средствами защиты от бутылок с горючей смесью, хотя повреждение огнём наружных деталей танка может привести к снижению его боеспособности.

Но бутылки с горючей смесью применяли не только как оружие ближнего боя. На танкоопасных направлениях помимо минных устраивали поля из бутылок с горючей смесью. Наиболее просто устраивались бутылочные поля зимой: бутылки просто погружали в снег. В приказе по войскам Западного фронта № 075 от 8 декабря 1941 года отмечалось:

“

Заграждения, устроенные из бутылок с горючей жидкостью, задержали движение танков противника, а часть из них на этих полях загорелась. Всего бутылочных полей на фронте 5-й армии было устроено 15, с общим расходом бутылок до 70 000 штук.

”

На основании имевшегося удачного опыта приказ предписывал:

“

Бутылочные поля создавать в общей системе инженерно-противотанковых препятствий. Размеры поля: глубина — 15-20 м, по фронту — 500—900 м, бутылки размещать в шахматном порядке. Также практиковать устройство бутылочных полей в сочетании с минными полями.

”

Для борьбы с атакующей пехотой применяли и другое весьма эффективное огневое заграждение — так называемые миноогнефугасы. Перед передним краем отрывали ямы, в которые укладывали по 20 зажигательных бутылок и небольшие заряды взрывчатого вещества. Подорванный взрывателем натяжного или нажимного действия миноогнефугас давал столб огня высотой до 8 метров, поражая горящей жидкостью площадь около 300 квадратных метров.

При нехватке стандартных боеприпасов 125-мм ампуломёты образца 1941 года переделывались под метание бутылок с зажигательной смесью. Для британского ампуломета Northover Projector бутылка с зажигательной смесью была штатным боеприпасом.

История[править]

Принцип использования в качестве оружия сосудов с горючей смесью восходит к древности (см. греческий огонь). Сосуды с зажигательной смесью применяли на Кубе во время Войны за независимость. Известна даже точная дата появления этого оружия: 20 июля 1895 г., когда отряды кубинских повстанцев-мамби осадили испанский гарнизон в населенном пункте Байре. Кубинцы потребовали капитуляции, пригрозив применить «новое секретное оружие».

Во время войны в Испании осенью 1936 года националисты из Испанского легиона вблизи Мадрида применили наполненные керосином бутылки в качестве эффективного противотанкового оружия против танков Т-26 и БТ-7 республиканцев.

Финский «коктейль Молотова» — первое массовое налаженное производство и применение, благодаря чему он и стал широко известен. Разработал его под названием зажигательная бутылка капитан Куиттинен из гарнизона Кориа весной 1939.

Советско-финская война (1939 — 1940)[править]

Прогрессирующее ухудшение отношений с СССР в течение всего 1939 года заставило финскую армию ускорить поиски эффективного противотанкового оружия ближнего боя, необходимого для нейтрализации подавляющего перевеса советской армии в танках. Первый испытанный образец был обычной стеклянной бутылкой, наполненной бензином, с прикрученным к ней куском ткани. В ходе полевых испытаний однако были выявлены следующие недостатки:

• жидкость не прилипала к цели и стекала с неё слишком быстро;
• горящая ткань делала бросавшего легко заметным, что на практике (при использовании против танков в ближнем бою) было неприемлемо.

Добавление гудрона к смеси (около 10 — 20 миллилитров на 0,5 литровую бутылку) не только решило первую проблему, но и позволило создать больше дыма при возгорании. Смесь также горела дольше и при более высокой температуре. Было разработано два основных метода поджига:

При помощи штормовых спичек, горевших около 60 секунд после поджига. Пара таких спичек прикручивалась к противоположным сторонам бутылки обычной изолентой либо проволокой (под спички помещалась полоска теплоизолирующего материала, чтобы бутылка не треснула преждевременно от нагрева; второй запал был запасной, чтобы использовать не брошенную бутылку). Именно эта версия системы по́джига была разработана и успешно испытана командой Ээро Куиттинена к весне 1939 года. Около 80 % бутылок с зажигательной смесью, произведённых финской промышленностью во время советско-финской войны 1939—1940 года, использовало этот метод по́джига.

Длинная хрупкая стеклянная ампула, наполненная самовоспламеняющейся смесью (на основе серной кислоты или белого фосфора), вставленная внутрь бутылки с зажигательной смесью. При разбивании бутылки происходило разрушение ампулы, что вызывало самовозгорание зажигательной смеси. Этот метод был разработан уже непосредственно во время войны армией Финляндии и использовался примерно в 20 % бутылок с зажигательной смесью, произведённых во время войны.
К началу войны опытные партии уже производились на пяти небольших заводах и технология была полностью отработана. Это позволило финнам в кратчайшие сроки наладить производство на мощностях «Алко» (госкомпания Финляндии, обладавшая монополией на производство и продажу алкоголя на территории страны), и первая партия в 40 000 бутылок ушла на фронт уже через несколько дней после начала войны. Всего за 3 месяца войны было выпущено 542194 бутылки.
Во время Зимней войны обычный «коктейль» состоял из смеси денатурата, керосина и дёгтя в полулитровой водочной бутылке. В начале Зимней войны, согласно инструкции по применению, основным назначением бутылок было ослепить танк — закоптить триплексы дымом. Но быстро было замечено, что если бутылка попадает на моторный воздухозаборник, пламя затягивается внутрь и поджигает двигатель.

На заводе в Раямяки было изготовлено за время Зимней войны свыше 450 000 зажигательных бутылок. Советская авиация бомбила Раямяки, поскольку на пробках первых бутылок читалось Alko-Rajamäki. Промышленное производство бутылок наладил главный инженер завода Фредерик Тойво Киркомяки.

Красная армия потеряла в Зимней войне 1 919 танков, из которых сгорело 436 — бо́льшая часть, очевидно, от «коктейля Молотова».

Великая Отечественная война[править]

В СССР производились бутылки с воспламеняющейся жидкостью «КС» или «БГС». 7 июля 1941 года Государственным Комитетом Обороны было издано постановление за подписью Молотова «О противотанковых зажигательных гранатах (бутылках)», которое обязало Наркомпищепром организовать с 10 июля 1941 г. снаряжение стеклянных бутылок огнесмесью по определенной рецептуре.

Принято считать авторами данного боеприпаса Анатолия Качугина и Павла Степановича Солодовника, создавших самовоспламеняющуюся смесь КС, которая и является собственно «коктейлем», в отличие от прочих бутылок с однокомпонентной зажигательной смесью. Однако в некоторых источниках разработчиком зажигательной смеси называют кандидата технических наук Кирилла Максимовича Салдадзе. Смесь, разработанная Салдадзе, имела официальное название БГС (по первым буквам названий компонентов — бензольная головка и сольвент) и была внедрена в производство на заводах в 1941 году[.

В августе 1941 года в Саратове А.Качугин, М. Щеглов и П. Солодовник разработали удобный в применении вариант зажигательной смеси. Сама горючая смесь состояла из бензина, керосина и лигроина, воспламенялась с помощью запала, состоявшего из серной кислоты, бертолетовой соли и сахарной пудры (т. н. «запал Кибальчича»). Коктейль Молотова выпускался на некоторых заводах, чтобы заменить нехватку противотанковых орудий в Красной Армии. Тульские оружейники разработали и внедрили в производство (в полукустарных условиях прифронтовой полосы, когда почти всё оборудование было эвакуировано в тыл) запал для бутылок, состоящий из 4-х кусков проволоки, железной трубки с прорезями, пружины, двух верёвок и холостого патрона от пистолета ТТ. Обращение с запалом было схоже с обращением с запалом для ручных гранат, с тем отличием, что «бутылочный» запал срабатывал только при разбивании бутылки. Этим была достигнута высокая безопасность в обращении и повышены скрытность и оперативность применения, а также расширен спектр погодных условий, пригодных для применения бутылок. Но в связи с изменением характера войны с оборонительного на наступательный дальнейший выпуск бутылочных запалов был прекращён.

В Германии[править]

Использованная Германией во Второй мировой войне зажигательная бутылка называлась Brandflasche, она была 250 мм в высоту и 60 мм диаметром. В составе горючей жидкости была одна треть используемого в огнемётах масла Flammöl Nr.19 и две трети бензина. Также использовалась Brandhandgranate 48/57 — 80 мм шириной и 100 мм высотой стеклянная полулитровая бутылка, наполненная смесью из бензола и бензина.

Современность[править]

23 февраля 2019 г. в Венесуэле произошли столкновения с полицией, в ходе которых коктейль Молотова сыграл довольно интересную роль. В этот день оппозиция, некоторые представители которой были вооружены, среди прочего, и коктейлями Молотова, пыталась ввести на территорию страны гуманитарную помощь, а полиция всеми силами пыталась этому противостоять, используя щиты, резиновые пули и газовые гранаты. В определенный момент грузовики с помощью загорелись, и в поджоге машин с полупродуктами и лекарствами оппозиция быстро обвинила режим Мадуро, объясняя причину воспламенения грузовиков попаданием в них газовых гранат^[1]. Провластные СМИ, напротив, обвинили в поджоге гуманитарной помощи оппозицию, которые действительно могли это совершить с помощью коктейлей Молотова (правда, скорее случайно или по ошибке, чем преднамеренно).

Ответственность[править]

В США изготовление, ношение (транспортировка) и применение «коктейля Молотова» является уголовным преступлением. В качестве примера, за изготовление «коктейля Молотова» и намерение их использовать во время саммита НАТО в Чикаго в 2012 году, три гражданина США были приговорены к длительным срокам тюремного заключения (Jared Chase — к 8 годам; Brent Betterly — к шести годам; Brian Church — к пяти годам тюремного заключения).

Галерея[править]

• 

  Коктейль Молотова времён советско-финской войны 1939 — 1940 гг.

• 

  Участники «Евромайдана» используют «коктейль Молотова» в ходе антиправительственных выступлений в Киеве, 18 февраля 2014 г.

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  Изготовление коктейля Молотова в Киеве 19 января 2014 года.

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  Разбившийся об землю горящий коктейль Молотова в Ростоке, Германия во время демонстрации против саммита G8 2007 в Хайлигендамме.

• 

  Катапульта для коктейлей Молотова, использующаяся армией Крайовой во время Варшавского восстания 1944 г.

• 

  Карикатура, изображающая военную помощь США для Украины во время российско-украиснкой войны 2022 г.: факел статуи свободы поджигает украинский коктейль Молотова.

В культуре[править]

Аниме и манга[править]

• В манге и аниме «Обещанный Неверленд» один из воспитанников детского дома Рей, подготавливаясь к побегу, спрятал в лесу возле детского дома несколько коктейлей Молотова. По его плану, дети, когда сбегут из детского дома, должны были закидать его бутылками с зажигательной смесью, а также поджечь лес, чтобы отвлечь взрослых и получить шанс на побег с территории детских домов. Впрочем, этим планом не воспользовались, и спрятанные Реем коктейли Молотова так и не были показаны.

Кинематограф[править]

• В фильме 2017 г. «Три билборда на границе Эббинга, Миссури» главная героиня, мать-одиночка Милдред Хей, с помощью четырех коктейлей Молотова сжигает местное управление полиции, в отместку за то, что ранее были сожжены три её билборда, на которых она призывала взяться за расследование нераскрытого дела об убийстве её дочери.

Интересные факты[править]

• Существует ленинградская легенда, согласно которой специально для метания бутылок с зажигательной смесью был сконструирован ампуломёт. На самом деле, такое утверждение верно лишь отчасти, однако если очень сильно упростить, то такое устройство действительно напоминает своего рода миномет, который в качестве снарядов использует коктейли Молотова.

Примечания[править]

Источник[править]

• https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Коктейль_Молотова