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Flamethrowers in WW1: How Effective Were They?

February 1

52 mins

Episode Description

In 1915 the German Army introduced the world to the power of the flamethrower - but by 1916 the Allies had caught up with their own weapons. As the war continued flame stopped being a novelty and instead became a system - specialist troops, evolving equipment and developing tactics. We delve into that story in this episode and ask whether the flame thrower was a weapon whose bark was worse than its bite?

00:00 Introduction: Beyond the Novelty 03:14 Mechanics of Fire: Pressure vs. Mobility 05:34 The Decline of Fixed Flame Projectors 07:05 The British Exception: Why the BEF Said No 08:08 Bark vs. Bite: Overcoming the Fear Factor 13:00 The Rise of the WEX: Single-Man Portability 16:05 Vulnerability of the Operator 18:50 "Shoot the Funny Looking Stuff First" 21:50 French Doctrine: The Mopping Up Weapon 24:12 German Stormtroopers and Counter-Attacks 29:15 The Death’s Head Elite and Prisoner Execution 35:34 A Soldier’s Perspective: "Roasted Like a Goose" 41:12 The Future That Never Was: Plan 1919 46:40 Final Verdict: Was it Worth the Effort?

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