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A Historical Perspective on the U.S. Defense Industrial Base
Pages 85-94

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From page 85...
... Appendices
From page 87...
... These munitions storage locations and maritime construction yards were the first elements of the U.S. "defense industrial base." PRE-WORLD WAR I Before World War I, U.S.
From page 88...
... The best known developments in manufacturing technology that became important during World War I were based on the work of individuals, such as Samuel Morse, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Guglielmo Marconi, and Henry Ford. The use of wires to transmit messages over long distances, first in code and then by voice, put the United States in the vanguard of technical nations and expanded military communications capability beyond semaphore and messengers.
From page 89...
... Stateof-the-art manufacturing methodologies were used by both commercial and military facilities. WORLD WAR II In 1938, Congress chartered the Defense Plant Corporation, which, in anticipation of hostilities, was assigned the task of expanding production capabilities for military equipment.
From page 90...
... Production throughout the aircraft industry soared with bomber production ultimately reaching the level of one bomber per hour. By early 1945, the combined capability of converted commercial plants and GOCO plants to produce military goods was truly awe-inspiring, and mass production manufacturing technologies had been significantly advanced.
From page 91...
... In response to the Soviet development and introduction of the MIG series of jet fighters, the propeller aircraft of World War II were replaced by new jet aircraft. In addition, engine manufacturing methodologies and processes were updated to produce the Century Series of jet fighters.
From page 92...
... The military also benefited from these advances, although the costs of manufacturing military equipment remained high. In 1975, the Secretary of Defense directed the armed services to increase their emphasis on and support for the ManTech program.
From page 93...
... Although, the defense industrial base certainly existed during World War II, the Korean War, and throughout most of the Cold War and the conflict in Southeast Asia, the term has become less relevant in recent years. Today, it is difficult to define exactly where commercial industry ends and the defense industrial base begins.


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