Wed, 06 May 2026 00:01:33 +0000

What Napalm’s Dark Legacy Reveals About War and Memory Napalm—an incendiary weapon designed to burn with a thick, gel-like flame—remains one of the most controversial and haunting symbols of modern warfare. Its legacy is not only rooted in the physical destruction it inflicts but also in the enduring psychological, cultural, and ethical scars it has left across generations. Examining Napalm’s dark history sheds profound light on the complex relationship between war, memory, and how societies process trauma. ### The Rise and Ruthlessness of Napalm First deployed on a large scale during World War II, Napalm became infamous for its ability to sustain fire over miles of terrain, devastating enemy positions and civilian populations alike. Its most notorious use came in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, particularly in rural and urban environments where the line between combatant and noncombatant blurred. The visceral horror of napalm’s fiery aftermath—burning alive soldiers, incinerating villages, and leaving behind smoldering ruins—turned it into a byword for senseless violence.