It is a thick, sticky jelly that smells like a gas station and burns at temperatures exceeding 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’ve ever seen a war movie, you probably think you know exactly what napalm do. You picture the massive orange fireballs in Apocalypse Now or the horrifying Pulitzer-winning photograph of Phan Thi Kim Phuc running down a road in Vietnam. But the chemistry and the medical reality of this substance are way more complex than just "big fire."
Basically, napalm isn't just fuel. It’s fuel that has been weaponized to behave like glue. It was designed specifically to solve a problem that the U.S. military had during World War II: gasoline flows too fast. If you spray pure gasoline on a target, it burns out quickly and runs off the surface before it can do real structural damage. Scientists at Harvard University, led by chemist Louis Fieser, realized that if they could thicken the gasoline, it would stick to whatever it touched and burn long enough to incinerate even damp or hardened targets.
The Chemistry of Stickiness
Before 1942, the military used a latex-based thickener, but rubber was in short supply because of the war in the Pacific. Fieser’s team combined naphthenic acid and palmitic acid—that's where the name na-palm comes from—with gasoline to create a soapy, aluminum-salts-based gel. This wasn't some accidental discovery. It was a calculated attempt to create a substance that would cling to skin, clothes, and buildings with terrifying tenacity.
When people ask what napalm do, the first answer is "it stays put." Unlike a campfire or a standard explosive, napalm creates a localized, intense heat source that cannot be easily wiped or washed away. If you try to brush it off your arm, you usually just end up spreading the fire to your hand. It’s viscous. It’s relentless.
📖 Related: Why Political Party Symbols Actually Matter More Than You Think
The Physiological Nightmare: What Napalm Does to the Human Body
The effects on a human being are honestly difficult to describe without getting into the grisly details, but it's necessary to understand why this weapon is so heavily regulated today. The primary mechanism of injury is, obviously, thermal. Because it burns so hot—anywhere from $800°C$ to $1,200°C$ ($1,472°F$ to $2,192°F$)—it causes fourth-degree burns almost instantly. This means the fire doesn't just stop at the skin; it burns through muscle, fat, and sometimes right down to the bone.
Asphyxiation and Carbon Monoxide
Surprisingly, you don't even have to be touched by the gel to be killed by it. Napalm is an oxygen eater. When a napalm bomb detonates, the rapid combustion consumes massive amounts of oxygen from the surrounding air. In enclosed spaces like bunkers or tunnels, this creates a vacuum effect. People inside don't die from burns; they die from asphyxiation.
Then there’s the carbon monoxide. The incomplete combustion of the thickening agents and gasoline produces lethal concentrations of $CO$. Even if you’re hiding behind a wall that protects you from the heat, the air you’re breathing becomes toxic within seconds. It’s a multi-layered killer.
Systemic Shock and Hyperthermia
Survivors of napalm strikes often face a lifetime of complications that go beyond scarring. The intense heat causes something called "heat shock." The body's internal temperature spikes so fast that organs begin to fail. Even if the burns are localized, the systemic trauma can lead to kidney failure or cardiac arrest.
The Evolution of the Formula
The original WWII-era napalm was effective, but it had shelf-life issues. It would sometimes separate in storage. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. moved to Napalm-B. This version didn't actually use the original naphthenic or palmitic acids. Instead, it used a mixture of polystyrene, benzene, and gasoline.
Why the change? Napalm-B was safer for the soldiers handling it. You could actually drop a lit cigarette into a vat of Napalm-B and it wouldn't ignite. It required a specific thermite igniter to start the reaction. But once it started? It burned longer—up to ten minutes compared to the original’s thirty seconds to two minutes. This increased the "dwell time" of the heat, making it exponentially more destructive to both structures and human tissue.
📖 Related: Defining What Is a Slave: The Truth Behind Human Ownership
International Law and the "Ban"
A lot of people think napalm is "illegal." That’s a bit of a misconception. It isn't banned outright in the way chemical weapons like sarin gas are. However, its use is strictly governed by Protocol III of the 1980 UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.
This protocol prohibits the use of incendiary weapons against civilian populations. It also bans their use against military targets located within concentrations of civilians, especially when delivered by aircraft. The U.S. signed this, but with a "reservation" that says they can use incendiary weapons if they determine that doing so would result in fewer civilian casualties than other weapons. It’s a controversial loophole, to say the least.
Modern Context and Misconceptions
You don't hear about "napalm" in the news much anymore. Most modern militaries have moved toward precision-guided munitions. However, during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, reports surfaced of the U.S. using Mark 77 firebombs. While officials argued these weren't "technically" napalm because they used a different thickening agent (kerosene-based rather than gasoline), the effects on the ground were functionally identical.
💡 You might also like: Finding Journal Inquirer Enfield Obituaries: Why Local News Matters More Than You Think
What napalm do in the 21st century is largely psychological. The fear of being burned alive is a primal human terror. Even the threat of its use can clear a battlefield.
Why It Isn't Just "Liquid Fire"
- Density: It's heavier than water, meaning it can sink and continue burning in some environments.
- Adhesion: It sticks to surfaces, including vertical walls and ceilings.
- Duration: It’s designed to burn slow, not explode fast.
The legacy of napalm is one of clinical efficiency meeting human agony. It was a "triumph" of American engineering at Harvard that became a symbol of the horrors of modern warfare. It’s a reminder that when we try to make fire "better," the results are almost always devastating.
Actionable Insights for Research and Context
If you are researching the history of incendiary warfare or the legalities of modern weapons, here is how to navigate the technicalities:
- Check the SDS: If you are looking at historical documents, look for the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for "Incendiary Gel Mix." It lists the specific aluminum soap concentrations used in different eras.
- Differentiate by Name: Don't confuse napalm with white phosphorus (WP). While both are incendiaries, WP is a self-igniting chemical that causes deep chemical burns, whereas napalm is a thickened petroleum product that requires an external ignition source.
- Verify Treaty Status: If you’re tracking the legality of these weapons, visit the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) database. You can see exactly which countries have signed Protocol III and which ones have added "reservations" that allow for continued use under specific circumstances.
- Consult Medical Literature: For a deeper understanding of the trauma, look for studies on "incendiary burn management" in military medical journals. These provide the most accurate data on survival rates and long-term reconstructive needs for victims of thermal weapons.