This comprehensive book explores the history and development of military pyrotechnics from ancient times to modern day. It covers the evolution of explosives, flamethrowers, smoke screens, and other chemical weapons. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in military history or the science of explosive devices. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.