Lavishly illustrated with rare photos and diagrams, this book describes in unprecedented detail the history, weapons, equipment, tactics, and uniforms of all the flamethrower troops fielded by both sides during World War I, and is the only book in any language devoted entirely to the topic. The book draws on primary sources such as classified flamethrower manuals, unit diaries, military correspondence, and personal memoirs, with much of the material previously unpublished. For the first time in English the flame-warfare efforts of Russia and Bulgaria are presented. Select flamethrower attacks are documented, as well as complete technical data on weaponry including weight, range, duration, pressure, capacity, oil mixtures, and color schemes. Also described are all known models of flamethrower used by the combatants. Additional weapons such as incendiary grenades, fire tubes, oil projectors, and side arms are also featured.

Thomas Wictor is the author of five books. A failed music journalist, failed military historian, failed novelist, failed ghostwriter, failed biographer, failed poet, failed essayist, failed rock musician, failed miniaturist, failed photographer, failed field representative for a document-retrieval service, failed delivery driver, failed temporary worker, failed voiceover actor, failed copyeditor, failed technical writer, failed editor of the world's first online newspaper, failed bartender, failed archivist, failed longshoreman, failed ladies' man, and failed ally, he is the planet's only expert on World War I flamethrowers. He lives happily by himself in Southern California.