In World War II, every army had its own grenade. Different shapes, different power, but all capable of changing a battle in seconds. Today, we’re looking at every grenade used in World War II. To kick things off, here is United States Arsenal of Democracy MK2 Pineapple Fragmentation Grenade. The iconic Mark I famously nicknamed the pineapple due to its deeply serrated cast iron body.

 This American fragmentation grenade was designed to break into uniform shards, becoming the standard issue for GIs throughout the conflict. MK3A2 offensive concussion grenade designed for offensive attacks where the thrower had no cover. The Mark III A2 relied on a powerful concussion blast rather than flying shrapnel, allowing soldiers to clear bunkers without injuring themselves.

 M15 white phosphorus grenade known as Willie Pete. The M15 was a terrifying chemical weapon. Upon detonation, it scattered burning phosphorus that created instant smoke screens and caused severe burns that were nearly impossible to extinguish. M18 colored smoke grenade, vital for signaling rather than destruction.

 The M18 emitted vibrant clouds of colored smoke. American troops used these to mark landing zones or identify friendly positions to aircraft. M14 thermite incendiary grenade. The M14 was a tool of sabotage. Packed with thermite, it burned at over 4,000° F, hot enough to melt through engine blocks, artillery breaches, and steel plating.

 M9A1 anti-tank rifle grenade fired from the end of a standard rifle. The M9A1 allowed infantry to engage armor from a distance. It utilized a shape charge warhead to punch through tank plating. M17 impact fragmentation grenade. Unlike time-delayed fuses, the M17 was designed to detonate on impact. While effective in theory, the mechanism was dangerously sensitive, leading to it being withdrawn from service early in the war.

 M7A1 CS gas grenade used for riot control and clearing caves. The M7A1 released CS Tar gas. It was particularly effective in the Pacific theater for flushing entrenched enemies out of tunnel networks. Next on the list is Germany Vermacht and SS Steel Hand Granite. 24. Stick grenade. The legendary German potato masher. Its long wooden handle provided superior leverage, allowing German soldiers to throw it much further than heavy Allied spherical grenades.

 Steel hand granite 43 simplified stick. As the war turned against Germany, the model 43 simplified the stick grenade design. It moved the detonator to the top of the head, eliminating the need for a hollowedout handle. I hand granite 39 egg grenade. Small, lightweight, and lethal, the model 39 egg grenade could be carried in large numbers.

 Its compact size made it a favorite among German stormtroopers. Gabalta Leong bundled charge, a desperate anti-tank solution. This was a standard stick grenade with six additional explosive heads wired around it. It offered a massive blast capable of disabling tracks or light armor. Neeble hand granite 39 smoke stick visually similar to the explosive stick grenade but marked with a white band.

The model 39 release smoke to mask troop movements or blind enemy gunners. Panzerworfme 1 L heat throwable designed for the Luftwafa ground troops. This anti-tank weapon featured canvas fins that deployed in flight stabilizing the warhead to ensure it hit armor at the correct angle. Ha Taladong 3 magnetic anti-tank. A terrifying weapon to use.

This was a magnetic shaped charge. A soldier had to run up to an enemy tank, stick it to the hull, pull the fuse, and run before it detonated. Discus hand grenade. Turtle grenade. The turtle grenade looked like a discus. It used centrifugal force to arm itself while spinning through the air, detonating on impact. Blend kerper 2.

 Glass smoke hawked tear gas. a teardropshaped glass bulb filled with chemicals. When smashed against a tank, it released a cloud of irritant smoke designed to force the crew to bail out. Go spring granite 30 rifle grenade, the standard German high explosive rifle grenade. It gave the infantryman a pocket artillery capability, bridging the gap between hand grenades and mortars.

 Worf grenade 326, a small finabilized grenade fired from a signal pistol. It offered a quick, lightweight method for projecting explosives over short distances. Let’s move on to United Kingdom and Commonwealth. Mills Bomb number 36M. The classic British grenade. The Mills bomb was a heavy cast iron pineapple style weapon known for its reliability and dangerously wide fragmentation radius.

69 high explosive bake light. Encased in bakelight plastic, the number 69 was a concussion grenade. It produced very little shrapnel, making it safe to use during training or close quarters raids. 74. Sticky bomb. A glass sphere coated in powerful adhesive and covered by a wool sock.

 The user stripped the cover and stuck it to a tank. In practice, it often failed to stick to dusty armor or stuck to the thrower instead. Numbers 82. Gammon bomb. Favored by paratroopers. The Gammon bomb was essentially a bag of plastic explosive with a fuse. It could be molded into any shape, making it perfect for demolition. Number 75.

Hawkins mine grenade. Looking like a flat flask, the Hawkins mine could be buried as a landmine or thrown at vehicle tracks. It was a versatile tool for the British home guard and resistance. 73. Thermos anti-tank grenade resembling a thermos flask. The number 73 was just a large tin of high explosives.

 It was powerful but heavy and dangerous to throw. 77 white phosphorus. The number 77 was a smoke grenade used by the British. Like its American counterpart, it used phosphorus to create instant visual cover and incendiary effects. Number 68 at rifle grenade. One of the first operational shape charge weapons. The number 68 was fired from a rifle cup discharger and capable of penetrating early war tank armor.

27 smoke grenade. A standard chemical smoke grenade used by British forces for screening infantry movements and marking targets. Let’s move on to Soviet Union Red Army F1 Leanka fragmentation grenade. The Soviet F1, nicknamed the Lanca or Little Lemon. Based on French designs, this defensive grenade had a heavy cast iron body and a devastating blast radius.

 RGD 33 stick grenade, a complex Soviet stick grenade that required a specific throwing motion to arm. It could be fitted with a heavy metal sleeve to increase fragmentation for defensive use. RG42 cylindrical grenade born of necessity. The RG42 was a simple tin can filled with explosives and a coiled metal sheet for shrapnel. It was easy to manufacture and besieged Soviet cities.

 KS Molotov cocktail bottle. The famous Molotov cocktail. The Soviet factory produced KS versions contained a self-igniting mixture, turning simple bottles into effective anti-tank incendiaries. VPGS-41 rifle grenade. A rod type rifle grenade used by the Red Army. While effective, the rod damaged rifle barrels leading to its eventual replacement.

 Moving on to Japan Imperial Army and Navy. Type 97 hand grenade. The standard Japanese fragmentation grenade. Uniquely, the fuse had to be struck against a hard object like a helmet to arm it before throwing it. Type 91 multi-purpose grenade. A versatile weapon designed to be thrown by hand, fired from a rifle launcher, or used as a shell for the knee mortar. Type 98.

 Stick grenade modeled after the German stick grenade and Chinese copies. The type 98 was a high explosive blast grenade used by the Imperial Japanese Army. Type 99 Kiska grenade. An improvement on the type 97. The type 99 Kiska dispensed with the serrated body for a smooth one and featured a more reliable fuse mechanism.

Type four pottery dong ceramic grenade. As metal became scarce late in the war, Japan produced grenades made of pottery or ceramic. Known as porcelain grenades, they were filled with simple explosives and meant for home defense. Type three conicle anti-tank grenade, a shaped charge grenade with a hemp tail for stability.

 It was designed to penetrate allied armor, provided the infantry man could get close enough to throw it accurately. Suicide lunge mine. Anti-tank. A weapon of desperation. The lunge mine was a shaped charge on a bamboo pole. The soldier would charge a tank and thrust the mine against it, destroying the tank and himself instantly.

 Type 89 knee mortar shell primarily a mortar shell. Japanese troops often threw these by hand in emergencies. However, the lack of a proper delay fuse made this an incredibly risky tactic. Let’s move on to Italy. Radio Asserm Modnon 35. Red Devil. The Red Devil was the most common Italian grenade. Small, light, and painted red, it was an impact grenade known for being dangerous to handle after a failed throw.

 Otto Maders 35. Another Italian impact grenade. The Otto Model 35 contained a lead ball filled with explosives designed to detonate when it struck the ground. Brada Mod 35. The Brada 35 was distinguished by its long safety strip. Like other Italian grenades of the time, it relied on an impact fuse rather than a time delay.

 Finally, we have France and minor powers. F1 defensive grenade, France. The French F1 was the inspiration for many other nations grenades, including the American and Soviet designs. It was a heavy cast iron defensive weapon from the First World War kept in service. OF offensive grenade, France. The OF1 was the offensive counterpart to the F1.

 Made of thin metal, it relied on blast pressure rather than shrapnel, allowing troops to advance immediately after the explosion. With Modell 1937, Offensive Grenade France, a modernization of earlier French designs, the model 1937 was a stamped metal grenade that was lightweight and easy to produce. ET40 Filipina Polish resistance.

 Manufactured underground by the Polish home army. The Filipina was an impact grenade styled after anti-tank designs, proving that resistance fighters could produce professional-grade ordinance. 36 Vexi Hungary, the standard Hungarian hand grenade. It featured a unique impact fuse system that armed itself in flight, making it one of the more sophisticated designs of the Axis minor powers.