h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I once had it on good authority that molotov cocktails - at least the term if not the object - originated in the Russo-Finnish war of the late thirties.

Any one know better?

If you click Molotov Cocktail hyperlink, it goes to the entry on them [A583580] and a discussion about their history.

So it does.
It also seems, on balance, to contradict the footnote:
"These probably originated in Spain during the Civil War (1936-39)".
Indeed, the linnked article contains no mention of Spain or the Spanish...
...which is why I wondered.


cheers,
s. monkey

It does depend which book or site you read. The lack of the word 'cocktail' in the Finnish version does not inspire confidence, but if you imagine the petrol in a Spanish wine bottle....

As to who originated the 'Molotov' that would be anybody's guess, although the origin of the subject is fairly clear. Don't forget, the Communists fought in the Spanish Civil War too!

Now where did the 'cocktail' come from...?