Mell What is napalm and what was its purpose?
Napalm, the aluminum salt or soap of a mixture of naphthenic and aliphatic carboxylic acids (organic acids of which the molecular structures contain rings and chains, respectively, of carbon atoms), used to thicken gasoline for use as an incendiary in flamethrowers and fire bombs.
How was napalm used in the Vietnam War?
Napalm was first used in flamethrowers for U.S. ground troops; they burned down sections of forest and bushes in hopes of eliminating any enemy guerrilla fighters. Later on in the war B-52 Bombers began dropping napalm bombs and other incendiary explosives.
Why was the napalm used in the Vietnam War so deadly?
When mixed with gasoline and included in incendiary bombs or flamethrowers, napalm could be propelled greater distances than gasoline and released large amounts of carbon monoxide when it exploded, poisoning the air and causing even greater damage than traditional bombs.
Did the Vietnam War use napalm?
The US military came to associate napalm and its destructive power with the failure of the attrition strategy deployed during the Vietnam War.
Is making napalm illegal?
Napalm is legal to use on the battlefield under international law. Its use against “concentrations of civilians” is a war crime.
Why is napalm so dangerous?
Napalm is an enormously destructive weapon. It’s very sticky and can adhere to the skin even after ignition, causing terrible burns. Napalm can cause death by burns or asphyxiation. Napalm bombs generate carbon monoxide while simultaneously removing oxygen from the air.
Why is napalm no longer used?
Because napalm sticks to kids. On a realpolitik level, napalm was banned by the 1980 UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons as an incendiary weapon with indiscriminate effects. The US signed an international treaty to not use napalm after the end of the Vietnam war.
Is napalm banned?
The United Nations banned napalm usage against civilian targets in 1980, but this has not stopped its use in many conflicts around the world. Although the use of traditional napalm has generally ceased, modern variants are deployed, allowing some countries to assert that they do not use “napalm.”
Does the US still use napalm?
Originally Answered: Does the us military use napalm? Technically no, but the U.S. military still has bombs which the average person would call napalm. The MK77 Incendiary bomb it uses a different chemical formula but it works the same. They were used in Operation Desert Storm and Iraqi freedom and in Afghanistan.
Does napalm cause cancer?
Byproducts of flaming napalm include high levels of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide that can lead to toxicity. Some types of napalm use polystyrene chemicals that convert to styrene, which is a neurotoxin and likely carcinogen.
Are flamethrowers legal in war?
Long gone are the days when war was governed by an “anything goes” system. 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.
Is it illegal to own napalm?
It is not illegal to make napalm in your garage, it is just illegal to use it against civilians under international law. Using it against enemy troops in wartime is perfectly OK.
How much napalm was used in the Vietnam War?
In the decade from 1963 to 1973, 388,000 tons of napalm were dropped on Vietnam. That is ten times the amount of napalm used in Korea (32,357 tons) and almost twenty times more than was used in the Pacific (16,500 tons).
Why was napalm used as an incendiary weapon?
Napalm is often characterized as “sticky fire” because it is a thickening agent for gasoline and often sticks to things to make them burn longer. When napalm was used as an incendiary weapon and there were napalm attacks in villages, the civilians often suffered severe burns and even death.
What was the temperature of water when Napalm was used?
“Napalm is the most terrible pain you can imagine. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius (212°F). Napalm generates temperatures of 800 to 1,200 degrees Celsius (1,500–2,200°F).” Anti-Vietnam War demonstration, 1967. Among the US public, napalm became the symbol of all that was abhorrent about the war in Vietnam.
What was the most important chemical weapon used in the Vietnam War?
The most important chemical weapons used by the US in Vietnam were the incendiary napalm and the defoliant Agent Orange. Learn more. The most important chemical weapons used by the US in Vietnam were the incendiary napalm and the defoliant Agent Orange. Learn more. Menu Home Napalm and Agent Orange in the Vietnam War Search Search the siteGO