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)
When you have a runny nose, a tissue is the first thing you’re sure to grab, but did you know that they weren’t intended to provide such relief?
Kimberly-Clark was originally a paper company and produced materials that helped with war efforts, such as paper filters for gas masks. During World War I, there was a shortage of cotton, and this forced the military to look for alternative materials that bandages could be made from.
After the success of the paper filters, the company began to develop Cellucotton (handkerchiefs made from processed wood pulp). This product, which would eventually become known as Kleenex, was just the hero the military was looking for.
Cellucotton was marketed as a product that provided better gas mask filtration than paper filters and as a clean dressing for wounds. It was also marketed as a disposable substitute for face towels and was advertised in fashion magazines as the secret to a “movie star” complexion.
After the war, the demand for Cellucotton decreased, so Kimberly-Clark sold their surplus by changing their marketing strategy and targeting the product to consumers.
In an attempt to broaden their consumer audience, Kleenex used a small amount of ad space to market their product as a disposable handkerchief for those feeling under the weather with the slogan, “Don’t carry a cold in your pocket.” This led to the popularity of the facial tissue we all know and love today.
World War II
3. Super Glue (1942)
We’ve all used it to make broken things whole once again, but when was super glue invented? 1942, to be exact.
Dr. Harry Coover discovered the chemical compound for super glue (cyanoacrylates) by accident while working on transforming clear plastic lenses into gun sights for soldiers. One of the materials that he was working with to develop the lens was cyanoacrylate (an extremely sticky material).
In 1951, he was transferred to Kodak’s chemical plant, where he more closely examined cyanoacrylates and saw their untapped potential. Realizing that the compound didn’t require heat or pressure to bond, he began testing the adhesive on various lab items. Super glue was born!
You may be wondering, was super glue invented for wounds? Yes! Interested in learning more about this new material, Dr. Coover began studying how cyanoacrylate could be used for medical purposes, such as holding skin and muscle together.
It wasn’t until the Vietnam War that field surgeons began using super glue to treat war wounds. Super glue helped stop bleeding enough 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)
Invented at the end of World War II, the microwave is 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)
One of the military inventions to come out of the Vietnam War can now be found sitting on the shelf in every grocery store produce section—bagged salads!
After World War II, families said goodbye to their victory gardens and hello to the convenient world of prepared food! Along with TV dinners (originally developed to feed air crews), packaged salads grew in popularity due to their parallel convenience.
Bagged salads use “modified atmosphere packaging” that works to delay ripening and reduce spoiling. This technology was developed by the Whirlpool Corporation in collaboration with the U.S. Navy as a way to preserve food products naturally and increase their shelf life.
Utilizing this technology, the Navy and Whirlpool were able to send fresh produce (lettuce and celery) to troops in Vietnam. So next time you are out of dinner ideas and go to grab a bagged salad, remember to give the military a little shout out for your meal.
6. The Internet (1960s)
With endless search options, including the ability to gain access to information within seconds, it’s hard to even imagine life without the Internet. After all, it’s everywhere! How else would you be reading this article right now?
The Internet was invented by people all over the world. They worked at Cyclades in France, England’s National Physical Laboratory, and the University of Hawaii, to name a few. But, the birthplace of the Internet was the U.S. Department of Defense’s research center Arpa (the Advanced Research Projects Agency).
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!
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