The modern flame thrower was not particularly innovative—it simply launched burning fuel to spread fire. However, when used on the battlefield, its effect was devastating, and it is remembered as the most demoralizing infantry weapon ever used.
At the turn of the twentieth century, German inventor Richard Fiedler experimented with two types of flame thrower. The Flammenwerfer was a smaller, handheld weapon that used pressurized gas to push out streams of burning oil. The larger model was not as portable, but had a range of 118 feet (36 m) and could produce a continuous stream for forty seconds. When used in warfare, the weapons were highly dangerous, both for the enemy and the users, as the pressurized gas cylinders were prone to explosion.
Modern flame throwers consist of a backpack containing a tank with a flammable liquid, often napalm, and a tank with compressed gas. When fired the pressurized gas forces the fuel through the handheld gun where it is ignited at the tip and pushed out in a fiery display. The Germans adapted the flame throwers for use in World War I. More sophisticated and effective flame throwers caused massive destruction during the Vietnam War, when they were used to flush out enemy soldiers hiding in tunnels. However, countless civilians also died in the process as the fires often got out of control.
Flame throwers are rarely used by military forces today, although their use in warfare has not been banned. However, the modern flame thrower has found a more benign use by foresters and farmers who use them to clear land.
