 | |
| Author | Headquarters, Department of the Army |
|---|---|
| Country | USA |
| Genre | Military technical manual |
| Publisher | United States Department of War |
Publication date | 1969 |
| Pages | 251-V |
The TM 31-210 Improvised Munitions Handbook is a 256 page United States Army technical manual intended for the United States Army Special Forces. It was first published in 1969 by the Department of the Army.
Like many other U.S. military manuals[1] dealing with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and unconventional warfare, it was declassified and released into the public domain as a result of provisions such as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and is now freely available to the public in both electronic and printed formats.
The manual describes the manufacture of various types of ordnances from readily available materials, from junk piles, common household chemicals and supplies purchased from regular stores.
The manual is one of the best official references on improvised explosive devices (IEDs) manufacturing, and some of the weapons described in it have been used against U.S. troops by foreign troops. For example, the hand-grenade-in-a-can trap was used against U.S. troops in Vietnam, and the water-in-a-bucket timer was used by Afghan guerrillas to launch rockets against U.S. military bases.
Sections
The TM 31-210 manual consists of seven main sections:
- Explosives and propellants (including igniters)
- Mines and grenades
- Small arms weapons and ammunition
- Mortars and rockets
- Incendiary devices
- Fuses, detonators & delay mechanisms
- Miscellaneous
The miscellaneous section deals with the production of various types of trigger mechanisms (pressure, pressure release, traction, etc.), a makeshift precision balance, electric batteries, makeshift bulletproof barricades and more. The manual ends with two appendices, which briefly deal with the properties of some primary and secondary explosives.
Popular culture
The TM 31-210 manual appeared as an "Easter egg" in the 1995 CGI animated film, Toy Story. In the scene where Woody is trapped under a blue plastic box in Sid's bedroom, it's possible to see behind him a document titled "TM 31-210 Improvised Interrogation Handbook", a clear reference to the actual document.[2]
References
- ↑ Other publicly available U.S. military manuals dealing with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and unconventional warfare include:
- DJSM-545-66 Viet Cong Improvised Explosive Mines and Booby Traps (1966) ;
- FM 5-31 Boobytraps (1965) ;
- FMFRP 12-43 Professional Knowledge Gained from Operational Experience in Vietnam, 1969, Special Issue, Mines and Boobytraps ;
- FM 31-21 Guerrilla Warfare and Special Forces Operations (1961) ;
- FM 31-20 Special Forces Operational Techniques (1965) ;
- FM 31-20 Doctrine for Special Forces Operations (1990) ;
- FM 7-98 Operations in a Low-Intensity Conflict (1992) ;
- FM 31-20-5 Special Reconnaissance Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Special Forces (1993) ;
- FSTC 381-5012 Typical Foreign Unconventional Warfare Weapons (U) ;
- Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Simple Sabotage Field Manual (1944) ;
- PM 8--94 How to Start and Train a Militia Unit (1994) ;
- ST 31-180 Special Forces Handbook (1965) ;
- TC 3-21.76 Ranger Handbook (2017) ;
- TC 5-31 Viet Cong Boobytraps, Mines, and Mine Warfare Techniques (1969) Archived 2023-01-03 at the Wayback Machine ;
- TM 31-200-1 Unconventional Warfare Devices and Techniques - References (1966) ;
- TM 31-201-1 Unconventional Warfare Devices and Techniques - Incendiaries (1966).
- ↑ "Toy Story (1995) - See for example minute 58:56 to minute 59:17". archive.org.
External links
- "TM 31-210 Improvised Munitions Handbook" (PDF). militarynewbie.com. 1969. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
- "Electronic format "2007 – Thanks-to-Feinstein's Electronic Edition (v3.0)"". archive.org. Retrieved September 5, 2021.