NationStates Jolt Archive

What technology from World War II do you think was invented or revolutionized and still affects our lives today, or made an impact immediately following the war (weapons, medical, machinery,...anything).

Oh yeah, besides nukes.

Rockets, jet engines, radar, sticky tape etc etc etc

jet engines and ski resorts

I'm going to first point out that I think the destruction wrought by World War II was a big minus for humanity's scientific advancment despite rapid development of weapons technology and some impressive advances in some fields. But having said that, the computers developed by the British and the Americans were probably went on the affect our lives the most and resulted in the greatest increases in productivity.

One thing the Americans copied from the Germans (other than rockits and basic nuke understanding) is the helmets that german soldier war. If you look at an American soldiers helmet and a WW2 germans, they are the same except for the american helmet has fabric covering it.

One thing the Americans copied from the Germans (other than rockits and basic nuke understanding) is the helmets that german soldier war. If you look at an American soldiers helmet and a WW2 germans, they are the same except for the american helmet has fabric covering it.

The helmet presently worn by US soldiers may be similar to the German helmets worn during WWII, but there are a number of things to keep in mind:

-The German helmets were made out of steel. Today's helmet is made out of kevlar.
-The kevlar helmet presently used was not adopted until the late 80s (I believe). That's forty years after WWII.

As for what technology we got out of WWII... time travel, teleporters, and undead SS zombie machines.

One thing the Americans copied from the Germans (other than rockits and basic nuke understanding) is the helmets that german soldier war. If you look at an American soldiers helmet and a WW2 germans, they are the same except for the american helmet has fabric covering it.

Not quite. They don't even look exactly alike, just superficially similar.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/images/pasgt-s.jpg
http://www.worldwar1.com/photos/gsh05.jpg

And that's where the similarity ends.

Computers.

What technology from World War II do you think was invented or revolutionized and still affects our lives today, or made an impact immediately following the war (weapons, medical, machinery,...anything).

Oh yeah, besides nukes.

Planes: Jet Engines, steel frames, engines, loads of research into airflows and testing and sensitive complex information.

Vehicles: Jeeps and other all-terrain vehicles and size for power and our love of LARGE vehicles. (From soldiers returning home and wanting those same vehicles they LOVED to drive because of the power)

Tanks: Showed the brute power of armor and what it can do. Cannon firepower. Lead the way for A1M2 and all models from then on.

Radar, Sonar advancements.

Submarines as defenders and true weapons.

Weaponry, guns and rifles being redesigned and made constantly superior and extra strong.

Communication and organization! WWII lead the way for management of data and complex tasks of management! The earliest computers were used here to great success!

Military planning.

Also....WWII basically sped up technologies advancement by 50+ years as an entirety. WWI by about 30-50 years also. Cold War by another 30+ years.

What technology from World War II do you think was invented or revolutionized and still affects our lives today, or made an impact immediately following the war (weapons, medical, machinery,...anything).

Oh yeah, besides nukes.

RADAR, SONAR, computers (ENIAC), magnetrons, synthetic rubber, penicillin and DDT

Tanks: Showed the brute power of armor and what it can do. Cannon firepower. Lead the way for A1M2 and all models from then on.

Do you mean the M1A2?

And the technological advances that paved the way for the XM1 didn't come into being until the late-1970s.

The technology of WWII hardly advanced from the M4 Sherman to the M60 Patton. Just as technology in the Soviet Union barely crawled forward from the T-34/85 to the T-80. In both cases, nearly all of those tanks were unadultered piles of flaming horse shit (although they'd probably fair decently against each other).

penicillin and DDT

Penicillin was discovered in 1928, although I conceed that its usefullness was not realised until 10years later, WW2 in Europe actually retarded the development of Penicillin due to lack of funds. Although WW2 also helped the development of Penicillin as well, specifically in the US after Pearl Harbour.

http://nobelprize.org/medicine/educational/penicillin/readmore.html

About DDT, are we talking the pesticide here? I wouldn't call that the greatest thing to happen out of any event, let alone a war.

Do you mean the M1A2?

And the technological advances that paved the way for the XM1 didn't come into being until the late-1970s.

The technology of WWII hardly advanced from the M4 Sherman to the M60 Patton. Just as technology in the Soviet Union barely crawled forward from the T-34/85 to the T-80. In both cases, nearly all of those tanks were unadultered piles of flaming horse shit (although they'd probably fair decently against each other).

Ah yes, M1A2 lol. Bad typo.

Though I was refering more to the Tiger tank and Russia's ability to produce VAST amounts of tanks of medium quality. Before WWII tanks were piles of trash and didn't play a major role. Though the power of the tank was realized and its power was recognized. The M1A2 evolved through technology and was rebuilt as a superior version of the tanks....but Leopards are more seen.

You need to avoid most of the American stuff, cause we are crazy bastids. :D
Russian tanks are more closely evolved from that WWII technology, but the fact that WWII made the largest impression and kept the tank alive all this time is amazing. Though they have nothing against air power. :D

Penicillin was discovered in 1928, although I conceed that its usefullness was not realised until 10years later, WW2 in Europe actually retarded the development of Penicillin due to lack of funds. Although WW2 also helped the development of Penicillin as well, specifically in the US after Pearl Harbour.

http://nobelprize.org/medicine/educational/penicillin/readmore.html

About DDT, are we talking the pesticide here? I wouldn't call that the greatest thing to happen out of any event, let alone a war.

So true, the mass production of medicine and supplies was amazing. It sped research up by far and made it amazing. Though DDT was not a major advancement, but has been outlawed because of its health dangers in many countries.

Certain plastics, synthetic rubber, electronic computers, nuclear fission, practical jet engines, helicopters, antibiotics and radar (leading to the microwave oven).

Some were a little beforehand, but eh, they reached practical use in WW2.

Penicillin was discovered in 1928, although I conceed that its usefullness was not realised until 10years later, WW2 in Europe actually retarded the development of Penicillin due to lack of funds. Although WW2 also helped the development of Penicillin as well, specifically in the US after Pearl Harbour.

http://nobelprize.org/medicine/educational/penicillin/readmore.html

About DDT, are we talking the pesticide here? I wouldn't call that the greatest thing to happen out of any event, let alone a war.

But it wasn't produced until WWII. Even the site you posted says that.


As for DDT, the health risks seem to outweigh the benefits re loss of life to Malaria.

http://junkscience.com/malaria_clock.htm

You need to avoid most of the American stuff, cause we are crazy bastids. :D
Russian tanks are more closely evolved from that WWII technology, but the fact that WWII made the largest impression and kept the tank alive all this time is amazing. Though they have nothing against air power. :D

Tell that to Merkava IV gunners! They haven't taken the hint! (The turret traverse on the Merkava IV is reportedly fast enough to track low-flying attack helos.)

Tell that to Merkava IV gunners! They haven't taken the hint! (The turret traverse on the Merkava IV is reportedly fast enough to track low-flying attack helos.)

Was refering more to the missiles that a plane launches. Though Tigers and Apaches can still take them out from far away. Track doesn't mean kill, and if you see them....they can probably see you.

Was refering more to the missiles that a plane launches. Though Tigers and Apaches can still take them out from far away. Track doesn't mean kill, and if you see them....they can probably see you.

The only thing more vulnerable on the battlefield than a tank is a helicopter. If you can see a helicopter, the crew of the machine is probably about to be folded into five corners and stuck where the sun don't shine....

As for DDT, the health risks seem to outweigh the benefits re loss of life to Malaria.

http://junkscience.com/malaria_clock.htm

Didn't you mean that vice versa?


Anyhow - that link ignores that many third world countries persist in using DDT anyway....and it has been demonstrated that insects are adept at developing a tolerance to it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/04/AR2005060400130.html

Computers. The introduction of digital computing machines has revolutionized the world.

Oh, and we're still sorting through many of the population and decolonialization issues from the post war period. Israel and it's Arab neighbors, the Koreas, and sub-Saharan Africa, just to name a few.

The only thing more vulnerable on the battlefield than a tank is a helicopter. If you can see a helicopter, the crew of the machine is probably about to be folded into five corners and stuck where the sun don't shine....

Actually it is the air-plane. The F-22 or the other bombers. They fly over at high speed and drop precision weapons and blow your butt up from over 12 miles away.

Ships are usually so far off they can't even be called on the battlefield though. :P Otherwise an Aircraft Carrier would take that spot with a guided missile boat.

Actually it is the air-plane. The F-22 or the other bombers. They fly over at high speed and drop precision weapons and blow your butt up from over 12 miles away.

Ships are usually so far off they can't even be called on the battlefield though. :P Otherwise an Aircraft Carrier would take that spot with a guided missile boat.

If we're talking about vulnerability...actually, it would be your common-or-garden infantryman.

:p

Well a good anti-air defense will completely destroy any aircraft as long as its not stealthed and if it is capable of fighting it. Though for ground infrantry....ya they are vunerable. :D

Well a good anti-air defense will completely destroy any aircraft as long as its not stealthed and if it is capable of fighting it. Though for ground infrantry....ya they are vunerable. :D

Ground based anti-aircraft defence is mostly a last-ditch effort. Aircraft have been trained to avoid it ever since they became a fighting entity. Surface-to-air missiles aren't infallible - they have to work within quite strict parameters and don't have 360 degree turning circles, for example, and only the most stupid and/or suicidal pilot will fly low and slow near AAA. The biggest threat to aircraft is still other aircraft.

As for the infantryman, he can be incapacitated by anything from a well placed rock to a tactical nuclear explosion. :p

Ground based anti-aircraft defence is mostly a last-ditch effort. Aircraft have been trained to avoid it ever since they became a fighting entity. Surface-to-air missiles aren't infallible - they have to work within quite strict parameters and don't have 360 degree turning circles, for example, and only the most stupid and/or suicidal pilot will fly low and slow near AAA. The biggest threat to aircraft is still other aircraft.

As for the infantryman, he can be incapacitated by anything from a well placed rock to a tactical nuclear explosion. :p

Infantry, unlike every other fighting man (pilots, tankers, &c) can grab cover if things start going to hell. The others are done fucked real proper like if things start to heat up around them.

(Hint: There's one major reason that infantrymen in WWII respected tankers. And it didn't have (as much) to do with the big guns and thick armor strapped to the things.)

Infantry will always play a crucial role in combat. No matter how advanced your military is, the infantry will always form the backbone.

Anyways, thanks for the replies. I'm writing a 10 page report (with bibliograpy/endnotes) on a topic related to this and you got my 2:00 AM brain-gears spinning. Report is due at 8:00 AM.

Wow, I'm going to be a vegatable when the night is over. A caffeinated one.

(Hint: There's one major reason that infantrymen in WWII respected tankers. And it didn't have (as much) to do with the big guns and thick armor strapped to the things.)

To hitch rides? :p

Infantry, unlike every other fighting man (pilots, tankers, &c) can grab cover if things start going to hell. The others are done fucked real proper like if things start to heat up around them.

(Hint: There's one major reason that infantrymen in WWII respected tankers. And it didn't have (as much) to do with the big guns and thick armor strapped to the things.)

Yep. However, if things start going to hell, an infantryman isn't likely to do much on his own anyway in such a situation. Infantry are good - no, essential- for covering and securing large pieces of ground, but in the event of a (modern, mechanised) assault, they're pretty vulnerable on their own, lacking any real defensive strengths other than being able to take cover and hide, which doesn't really help them at all once their support has been lost. Now that we have effective AT infantry, it's a somewhat different situation from WW2, admittedly; however, i'd still rather have a tank than 20 infantrymen.

Infantry will always play a crucial role in combat. No matter how advanced your military is, the infantry will always form the backbone.

In the next century, century and a half, the infantry will likely comprise the best weapon on the battlefield, once exoskeletal powered armor is developed and perfected. They'll be impervious to most infantry weapons and capable of killing tanks, helos, and low-flying aircraft with virtual impunity.

To hitch rides? :p

Because once hell breaks loose, the infantryman can dive into a ditch. A tanker has no choice but to pray that the enemy has no guns capable of punching through his armor and killing him (extremely likely).

Yep. However, if things start going to hell, an infantryman isn't likely to do much on his own anyway in such a situation. Infantry are good - no, essential- for covering and securing large pieces of ground, but in the event of a (modern, mechanised) assault, they're pretty vulnerable on their own, lacking any real defensive strengths other than being able to take cover and hide, which doesn't really help them at all once their support has been lost. Now that we have effective AT infantry, it's a somewhat different situation from WW2, admittedly; however, i'd still rather have a tank than 20 infantrymen.

All it takes is one man to stop a tank.

One Japanese soldier did it to 3 tanks alone. >.>

All it takes is one man to stop a tank.

One Japanese soldier did it to 3 tanks alone. >.>

Give me twenty men, some AT rockets/missiles, and 24 hours and I'll kill or disable any four tanks of your choosing while suffering virtually no casualties to myself.

Infantry have every defensive advantage that matters. The thing infantry are most vulnerable to are other infantrymen. And, as the Russians have learned time and time again in Chechnya (and Berlin, Stalingrad, and, especially, Finland before that), tanks unsupported by infantry are little more than death traps.

Given the choices, I'd prefer to have one tank and as many infantry tank riders as possible (although I'd hope that they'd have more than just SMGs on them... GLs and MGs would be nice, too).

10 men in two tanks (5 each) and 10 others to support the two tanks. It would be great.

10 men in two tanks (5 each) and 10 others to support the two tanks. It would be great.

Most tanks have four-man crews, excepting the French Leclerc, the Chinese Type-98, and most Soviet tanks since the T-72 (which all have three man crews).

I think 5 man tanks would be a better idea....though its just me. Unless you put in an Auto-loader and everything else is perfect.

I think 5 man tanks would be a better idea....though its just me. Unless you put in an Auto-loader and everything else is perfect.

Most tanks have:

-Commander
-Gunner
-Loader
-Driver

Tanks in WWII would commonly have two-man crews (or one in the case of the tankettes). Most mediums had five crew members (except for the T-34):

-Commander
-Gunner
-Loader
-Driver
-Assisstant driver

Panzergrenadiere to the rescue.

Anyways - another technology to have been developed in WWII...Stealth-Jets (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho_229) (although yes, that is not verified).

Oh, and for those who care, here are two links about the Tigerfibel. Who says Nazis didn't have fun?
http://tiger1.info/fibel/
http://www.okw.wwiionline.com/tigerfibel/

Most tanks have:

-Commander
-Gunner
-Loader
-Driver

Tanks in WWII would commonly have two-man crews (or one in the case of the tankettes). Most mediums had five crew members (except for the T-34):

-Commander
-Gunner
-Loader
-Driver
-Assisstant driver

Well we were talking WWII....but ya, a five man crew is a little much today, though it does make things easier with an extra pair of hands.

Well we were talking WWII....but ya, a five man crew is a little much today, though it does make things easier with an extra pair of hands.

Except if you took a four tank platoon and dropped the fifth man from each tank, you'd have enough men to constitute a fifth tank for either the platoon or for a new platoon.

And, let's be frank, "Assisstant Driver"!? WTF did we ever need with them? (Other than to serve as radio operators and stare boredly ahead waiting for some poor unfortunate soul to show his face in the sights of the bow MG.)

Assist the gunner and the others also act as an additional spotter and scout. Though modern tanks have no need for it, even back then it was a little much. Though I am a fan of behemoths.

Assist the gunner and the others also act as an additional spotter and scout. Though modern tanks have no need for it, even back then it was a little much. Though I am a fan of behemoths.

You mean like this five-turreted monstrous dinosaur?
http://www.russianwarrior.com/Images/t35.jpg

Or this unwieldy super kitty?
http://www.battletanks.com/images/Jadtiger-2.jpg

Or this beast?
http://www.russianwarrior.com/Images/isu122.jpg
(Couldn't find an image of the ISU-152, so you'll have to settle for the more moderate ISU-122. :p)

I wonder whether the giant tanks of late WWI could ever have taken off. How awesome would that have been? :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K_Panzerkampfwagen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Char_2C

Ya like it. Though this is a good one to.
http://www.25thida.com/TLN/tln452-14.jpg

All it takes is one man to stop a tank.

One Japanese soldier did it to 3 tanks alone. >.>

One man with the right mix of equipment and callous insanity, sure.

Otherwise, if tanks were only as effective as infantry man for man, nobody would have bothered to develop them.

Give me twenty men, some AT rockets/missiles, and 24 hours and I'll kill or disable any four tanks of your choosing while suffering virtually no casualties to myself.

Fine. You have twenty men, six WW2 era bazookas, and you are up against a platoon of Leopard II MBTs.

;)

But it wasn't produced until WWII. Even the site you posted says that.


As for DDT, the health risks seem to outweigh the benefits re loss of life to Malaria.

http://junkscience.com/malaria_clock.htm

Yes, but the discovery was made way before WW2. My point being did the war retard the development of penicillin or promote it. Britain was a little preoccupied in 1940 and chose not to pursue the research for lack of funds (and indeed manpower).

If the war had no occured would the funds have been available to continue the work, or is it only because of the war that the therapuetic value of Penicillin was developed by the US?

Perhaps a new major war now would spur advances in anti-microbial therapy, as is we are now moving into the post-antibiotic age.

the autobahn (freeway) was hitler's secret weapon, and it's been destroying western civilization ever since.

=^^=
.../\...

The secret Russian aircraft(invisible plane)

The secret Russian aircraft(invisible plane)
:confused:
Link?

and it has been demonstrated that insects are adept at developing a tolerance to it.

Primarily due to the fact that the use of DDT in said countries was diluted and used sporadically. If I recall correctly, the one that was in charge of wiping out malaria during the post WWII era while DDT was in normal use, complained about people doing that sort of stuff and then complaining it didn't work. If his plan had been taken to the end however, which probably would have meant non-interference from environmental groups, we might have actually seen malaria being wiped out due to the removal of carriers.

Not quite. They don't even look exactly alike, just superficially similar.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/images/pasgt-s.jpg
http://www.worldwar1.com/photos/gsh05.jpg
And that's where the similarity ends.
That's a German M16 from WWI you're displaying (the link even says so!). The German M35 from WWII does indeed have much more in common with the PASGT.
http://www.militarytour.com/Reproductions/ImagesReproduct/M35Lin18.jpg

As for the OP - I'd say that pretty much everything has changed a lot for every ressource was used for and during the war, and afterwards, also affected civil life once a civil use was found for military gadgets.

Oh, and for those who care, here are two links about the Tigerfibel. Who says Nazis didn't have fun?
Hehehe, "Die Gefahr sitzt in der Wanne" :D

You mean like this five-turreted monstrous dinosaur?
Or this unwieldy super kitty?
Or this beast?
(Couldn't find an image of the ISU-152, so you'll have to settle for the more moderate ISU-122. :p)
Those are indeed monsters. Tough but slow and therefore unpractical...
How about the Sd.Kfz. 184 Panzerjäger Tiger (P) "Elefant"
http://www.notatoy.com/images/products/DRR60023_elefant_russia_1944.jpg or
Panzerkampfwagen VIII Maus
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/GermanNightmare/maus.jpg
The Maus (=Mouse) only weighed 188t :D

:confused:
Link?

It was on a History channel documentary-they just removed the usual covering of the plane(wood) and replaced it with something that was clear.