Molotov Cocktail
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An improvised incendiary weapon first mass-produced and named by Finnish forces during the Winter War of 1939–40 against Soviet tanks. When Vyacheslav Molotov claimed on Soviet radio that bombing missions over Finland were airborne humanitarian food deliveries, Finns sardonically dubbed Soviet cluster incendiaries 「Molotov's bread baskets」 and developed the firebomb as 「a drink to go with the food.」 From the Second World War to modern irregular warfare and popular uprisings, it has been used worldwide as a cheap, accessible weapon of asymmetric resistance.
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- Wikipedia (EN) Etymology: term coined by Finns during Winter War as pejorative reference to Molotov; 「Molotov's bread baskets」 sarcasm; Finnish mass production at Alko Rajamäki distillery (542,104 bottles by spring 1940)
- Wikipedia (RU) Detailed origin: Molotov's propaganda claims about humanitarian aid, Finnish naming 「коктейль для Молотова」 to 「коктейль Молотова」, captain Kuittinen's design, composition with tar, kerosene, and denatured alcohol, two ignition methods (storm matches and self-igniting ampoules)