Incendiary Bombs

Incendiary bombs, filled with highly combustible chemicals such as magnesium, phosphorus or petroleum jelly (napalm), were dropped in clusters to spread fires. In the later stages of the Second World War they were employed by the Royal Air Force to create firestorms in places such as Dresden. The United States Army Air Force also used them extensively on cities such as Tokyo where there was a large number of buildings made of wood.