Molotov Cocktails: How Finnish Sarcasm Turned Soviet Propaganda into a Global Symbol of Resistance
In the brutal cold of the winter of 1939, Finland faced a devastating invasion from its mighty neighbor, the Soviet Union. Soviet bombs rained from the skies, tearing through Finnish towns and cities. Yet, astonishingly, Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov claimed these bombs weren't bombs at all—he insisted the Soviet Air Force was dropping humanitarian aid, delivering "food supplies" rather than explosives.
Facing certain destruction, the Finns responded not just with brave resistance but also with biting humor and defiant sarcasm. They mockingly labeled the Soviet cluster bombs as "Molotov's bread baskets." To pair perfectly with these "bread baskets," they named their homemade gasoline bombs "Molotov cocktails," crafting a symbolic "drink" to accompany the supposed food deliver...