Are flamethrowers effective weapons?

Carried by specially trained assault teams, German flamethrowers were highly effective weapons that would either drive men from their defensive positions … or simply incinerate them. “Under the protection of these hideous weapons the enemy surrounded the advance pillbox, stormed it and killed the garrison.”

How effective are flamethrowers in war?

Flamethrowers are very effective at destroying troops occupying bunkers and caves. They can also be useful against tanks in the right circumstances. That doesn’t make them effective in modern warfare. They have downsides – limited range, big awkward tanks that scream out shoot me first.

Is it a war crime to use flame throwers?

As weaponry has become more advanced, so have the rules of warfare. Though flamethrowers aren’t entirely banned, you can’t use them to fry your enemies, according to Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. This clause prohibits the use of incendiary weapons on people.

When did US Army stop using flamethrowers?

1978
The US military stopped using flamethrowers in 1978, but there are several potential applications of the flamethrower to modern counter-terrorism operations.

Why did the Army stop using flamethrowers?

Flamethrowers have not been in the U.S. arsenal since 1978, when the Department of Defense unilaterally stopped using them ⁠— ⁠the last American infantry flamethrower was the Vietnam-era M9-7. They have been deemed of questionable effectiveness in modern combat.

Why don’t we use flamethrowers anymore?

There are two reasons why the flamethrower is no longer used by the U.S. military. Reason 1 – Social Politics. No one wants to see images of a U.S. soldier burning a human being alive. Also, with changes in modern warfare, the enemy hides within the civilian population.

Did ww2 flamethrowers explode?

Since there is no ignition event, there would be no explosion. Although a bullet might be very hot for a few moments after it is fired (due to the friction and the explosion that propelled it in the first place), its temperature would be far too low to ignite anything.

Did WW2 flamethrowers explode?