Flamethrowers play an important role in the modern battlefield, however there are significant differences between Chinese and Western flamethrowers. American flamethrowers are typically capable of multiple uses, some as many as 18 times, while Chinese flamethrowers can only be used 2 or 3 times. So why is the same flamethrower, the Western model can be used 18 times, while the Chinese only has the ability to do 3 times?
This difference actually stems from the different needs of flamethrowers in China and the West. For Western countries, flamethrowers are mainly used against enemy soldiers and create fire suppression. However, Chinese flamethrowers were used more often as offensive weapons, specifically to deal with enemy fortifications such as pillboxes and tunnels. When flamethrowers are used against enemy soldiers, they need to release flames frequently and continuously. However, when used in fortified operations, flamethrowers need to quickly release high-intensity flames to effectively destroy enemy forces within the fortifications. From the difference in these two usages, we can understand why Chinese and Western flamethrowers have such a big difference in the number of injections.
In a flamethrower, multiple injections and sustained flame release with the same fuel require a small, multiple fuel output. If high-intensity fire output is required, rapid, intense, and highly concentrated fuel release is required. The power of the flamethrower cannot be underestimated, the flame produced by it can penetrate any hole in the fortification, and the temperature can reach 800 to 1300 degrees Celsius. Once approached by this flame, people's clothing may not yet be on fire, but their lungs may have been damaged. In addition, flame combustion consumes a lot of oxygen, and the toxic gases released during combustion also increase its lethality, so it is very effective in fortified battles.
The history of flamethrowers dates back to the First World War, when this weapon made its debut on the battlefield, impressing countries. Subsequently, the United States invented napalm, which allowed the fuel released by flamethrowers to adhere to objects such as the ground, human bodies and buildings, and continue to burn. During World War II, flamethrowers were widely used by American forces when attacking Japanese-occupied islands. As the Japanese built strong fortifications on the Pacific islands, the Americans adopted a combined attack strategy of bombing, bulldozers, and flamethrowers. After bulldozers leveled the fortifications, flamethrowers directly incinerated Japanese troops trying to escape from the fortifications. This also explains why we often see soldiers carrying flamethrowers on their backs in movies depicting the US military in World War II.
In the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, the US military also extensively used flamethrowers, which caused heavy damage to the Chinese army. Because the U.S. military had greater capabilities in attacking fortifications, flamethrowers evolved into weapons used to counter enemy soldiers and suppress enemy fire. China, on the other hand, has always faced the challenge of relatively weak offensive capabilities, especially in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, where the Chinese military was plagued by insufficient firepower. Therefore, China has been working to increase its firepower, which can be confirmed by artillery, machine guns, etc. Because of this, Chinese flamethrowers strive to complete the delivery of all fuel in a single release to achieve more powerful firepower.