6 INVENTIONS MADE FOR WAR THAT ARE NOW USED BY CIVILIANS
When you think about military inventions, what comes to mind? Instinctively, most of us would envision weapons, armored vehicles, submarines, or specialized aircraft. However, most people don’t realize that many common household items were inventions made for war. From duct tape to computers, some of the world’s most useful inventions were originally developed for military purposes. Let’s take a closer look at some of these everyday products and inventions made for war. Related read:How the Original Twinkie Flavor Was Changed Forever Thanks to WWII
6 Top Inventions Made for War
Innovation and entrepreneurship are the backbones of the American economy. Economic growth and international competitiveness both depend on the capacity to innovate. American inventions have not only worked to drive economic growth but have also provided a backbone for scientific research, workplace evolution, and various infrastructures. It’s true that during times of crisis, we’ve seen members of the military rally together and perform tremendous feats. This strength and ingenuity isn’t unique to service members, as entrepreneurs and inventors have also made game-changing contributions during times of war. After all, there’s an old saying that “necessity is the mother of invention.” It’s during times such as these that some of our nation’s greatest and most dependable inventions originated. Enjoy learning the real stories about a few inventions made for war that were just too good to pass up and quickly circulated into everyday civilian life.
World War I
1. Zippers (1914)
Gideon Sundback, a Swedish electrical engineer, is credited as the man who perfected the zipper, contributing to its success and widespread use today. Gideon’s idea for the zipper began after his marriage to Elvira Aronson landed him a job as head designer at Universal Fastener Company. It was here that he began working on the “Judson C-curity Fastener.” After the passing of his wife, Sundback buried himself in his work, constantly coming up with new designs, and he soon came up with the modern zipper. The name “zipper” came from the B.F. Goodrich Company that marketed Sundback’s invention as a fastener for rubber boots. During the early years of the zipper’s invention, it was mainly used on boots and to close tobacco pouches. However, it was adopted by the U.S. Army on money belts for soldiers during the war because soldiers’ uniforms didn’t have pockets. The widespread use of zippers in the military paved the way for its commercial use. After the war, the zipper made its way into the commercial market and became a staple in the fashion industry. Popularized in the men’s fashion industry as the “next big thing,” the zipper soon began to be seen on more than just men’s pants.
2. Facial Tissue (“Kleenex”) (1915)
World War II
3. Super Glue (1942)
that wounded soldiers could be transported to medical facilities. While the original formula for super glue was not officially designated for sealing cuts or wounds, an alternative formula was designed for medical purposes. Soon, the FDA approved the use of cyanoacrylates (2-octyl-cyanoacrylate) for other medical uses—sealing punctures and ulcers, stopping soft organ bleeding, and use in dental procedures.
4. Microwave Oven (1945)
another accidental invention, much like super glue, and it all starts with the magnetron tube. Credited as the microwave inventor, Albert Hull, a physicist at the General Electric Research Laboratory, originally invented the magnetron as an electrical converter that was used to help with telecommunications. During World War II, the British were looking to create a higher-frequency radar to help with enemy location. The engineers working on the project set out to design a radar system that used electromagnetic waves (microwaves) and could detect smaller objects than the current radars. In 1940, young physicists John Turton Randall and Harry Boot improved on the initial design and created the cavity magnetron tube. These tubes soon became the center of the Allies’ advanced radar systems and were a key component of their victory. One day, an engineer at the Raytheon Manufacturing Company was testing a new magnetron unit when he noticed that the candy bar in his pocket had melted! Intrigued, he began placing other foods (eggs, popcorn, candies) into the tube and watched them cook. Soon, the engineers began thinking about consumer applications of the technology, and, in 1947, the first commercial microwave hit the market. By 1976, the microwave became one of the most common household appliances!
Vietnam War
5. Packaged Salad Mixes (1960s)
6. The Internet (1960s)
Arpa’s motivation for creating the Internet was rooted in designing a way for computing to be brought to the military frontlines. In 1969, Arpa created the computer network Arpanet that linked together mainframes at government agencies, universities, and defense contractors. Arpanet dreamed of creating a networked military that had enough computing power to defeat the Soviet Union, but the first version of the Internet wasn’t mobile. Determined to make this dream reality, engineers at Arpanet built a wireless network that could rely on data sent by U.S. military radio or satellite. Additionally, they set out to connect the wireless networks to a wired network, so soldiers would use the mainframes during combat. In 1973, Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf developed the Transport Control Protocol (TCP) that allowed for email developments, packet switching protocols, and evolved technical advancement. Originally called “internetworking,” the term was soon shortened to Internet and, during its early years, was only available to the military. It wasn't until the early 1990s that the Internet became available to the public.
What Military Inventions Do You Use?
The technology developed by the military has surely had an impact on our lives and made significant contributions to our advancement as a nation. Billions of dollars are spent on military research and development each year and are put towards the development of new technologies, materials, and gadgets that eventually work their way over to civilian life. This presents a unique opportunity for civilians to work with, touch, or operate military inventions. We hope that you enjoyed getting to know about some of the products that occupy the shelves in your home that were originally inventions made for war. Take a few moments to look around your house; you may own more items with a military origin than you think! More like this:8 Inventions During the Civil War That Stood the Test of Time