Landmine

A landmine is a type of self-contained explosive device which is placed onto or into the ground, exploding when triggered by a vehicle or person. The name originates from the practice of sapping, where tunnels were dug under opposing forces or fortifications and filled with explosives. Landmines generally refer to devices specifically manufactured for purpose, as distinguished from improvised explosive devices.

History

The basic concept behind the landmine has appeared through military history. Some sources report that Zhuge Liang, of the kingdom of Shu of China, invented a landmine type device in the third century AD. Forces in ancient Rome sometimes dug small foot-sized holes, covered and armed with a sharpened spike. In the Middle Ages in Europe, small, 4-pronged spiked devices called caltrops or crows' feet could be scattered on the ground to delay the advance of an enemy.

Related Topics:
Military history - Zhuge Liang - Kingdom of Shu - Third century - Rome - Middle Ages - Caltrop

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In Europe in the early 18th century, improvised landmines or booby traps were constructed in the form of bombs buried in shallow wells in the earth and covered with scrap metal and/or gravel to serve as shrapnel. Known in French as fougasse, the term is sometimes still used in the present day to describe such devices. This technique was used in several European wars of the 18th Century, the American Revolution, and the American Civil War.

Related Topics:
18th century - American Revolution - American Civil War

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The first modern mechanically fused high explosive anti-personnel landmines were created in Imperial Germany, circa 1912, and were copied and manufactured by all major participants in the First World War. In World War I, landmines were used notably at the start of the battle of Passchendale. Well before the war was over, the British were manufacturing landmines that contained poison gas instead of explosives. Poison gas landmines were manufactured at least until the 1980s in the Soviet Union. The United States was known to have at least experimented with the concept in the 1950s.

Related Topics:
Imperial Germany - First World War - Passchendale - Poison gas - 1980s - Soviet Union - United States - 1950s

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Nuclear mines have also been developed, both land and naval varieties. An example is the British Blue Peacock project.

Related Topics:
Naval - Blue Peacock

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