New posts

Reply to thread

Message

The origins of Molotov Cocktail.

I reckon most people have heard of a Molotov cocktail. Essentially its a bottle of petrol and oil with a flaming wick which is used as an incendiary bomb. Apparently it was quite effective against tanks when you don't have anti tank weapons.

But where did the name come from ? At first glance it might appear to named after some glorious Russian partisan who improvised the device to stop the German tanks on the Easter front. Sounds plausible doesn't it ?

Not quite so. There is a Soviet connection. Molotov was the Sovereign Foreign Affairs Minister under Stalin. Apparently during the USSR invasion of Finland Molotov described the dropping cluster bombs as packets of bread to feed the starving Finns! Excellent line in spin.

The Finns weren't impressed with either the bombing or the BS story from the Soviet Foreign Ministry. So when the tanks rolled in they stopped them with the petrol bombs. They named these "Molotov cocktails" to go with the packets of bread the USSR had so kindly showered on the Finns.

Molotov was not impressed but the name stuck.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molotov_cocktail

<blockquote data-quote="basilio" data-source="post: 794775" data-attributes="member: 18692">The origins of Molotov Cocktail.I reckon most people have heard of a Molotov cocktail.&nbsp; Essentially its a bottle of petrol and oil with a&nbsp; flaming wick which is used as an incendiary bomb. Apparently it was quite effective against tanks when you don&#039;t have anti tank weapons.But where did the name come from ? At first glance it might appear to named after some glorious Russian partisan who improvised the device to stop the German tanks on the Easter front. Sounds plausible doesn&#039;t it ?Not quite so.&nbsp; There is a Soviet connection. Molotov was the Sovereign Foreign Affairs Minister under Stalin. Apparently during the&nbsp; USSR invasion of Finland Molotov described the dropping cluster bombs as&nbsp; packets of bread to feed the starving Finns! Excellent line in spin.The Finns weren&#039;t impressed with either the bombing or&nbsp; the BS story from the Soviet Foreign Ministry. So when the tanks rolled in they stopped them with the petrol bombs. They named these &quot;Molotov cocktails&quot; to go with the packets of bread the USSR had so kindly showered on the Finns.Molotov was not impressed but the name stuck.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molotov_cocktail" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molotov_cocktail</a></blockquote>

[QUOTE="basilio, post: 794775, member: 18692"] [B]The origins of Molotov Cocktail.[/B] I reckon most people have heard of a Molotov cocktail. Essentially its a bottle of petrol and oil with a flaming wick which is used as an incendiary bomb. Apparently it was quite effective against tanks when you don't have anti tank weapons. But where did the name come from ? At first glance it might appear to named after some glorious Russian partisan who improvised the device to stop the German tanks on the Easter front. Sounds plausible doesn't it ? Not quite so. There is a Soviet connection. Molotov was the Sovereign Foreign Affairs Minister under Stalin. Apparently during the USSR invasion of Finland Molotov described the dropping cluster bombs as packets of bread to feed the starving Finns! Excellent line in spin. The Finns weren't impressed with either the bombing or the BS story from the Soviet Foreign Ministry. So when the tanks rolled in they stopped them with the petrol bombs. They named these "Molotov cocktails" to go with the packets of bread the USSR had so kindly showered on the Finns. Molotov was not impressed but the name stuck. [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molotov_cocktail[/url] [/QUOTE]

Verification