Military-Industrial Complex

Term coined by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to describe the growing influence of the military on the U.S. economy and culture.

Nature of the Military-Industrial Complex

In his farewell speech at the end of his presidency in 1961, Eisenhower warned of the dangers stemming from the close relationship between the military establishment and the arms industry. He predicted that this relationship could result in a misallocation of power and alter the structure of society, as more and more individuals and public institutions became involved in the process of armament. He foresaw the potential threat that this could pose to liberty and democracy.

The U.S. military purchases all its equipment from civilian firms that sign contracts with the government to provide everything from uniforms to cruise missiles. These civilian contractors are in business to make a profit, as well as to supply the military's needs. Critics charge that the relationship puts the financial and political interests of defense contractors, the military, and their allies in government ahead of considerations of national security. For example, members of Congress might push for development of a weapons system that would benefit defense contractors in their districts, whether or not the system was actually [Page 468]necessary. Military leaders might also work with defense contractors to lobby for pet projects that may meet resistance in Congress. This relationship between defense contractors, the Pentagon, and the government is sometimes called the iron triangle.

Growth of the Military-Industrial Complex

The post–World War II era was a period of tremendous expansion for the military establishment in the United States. The Department of Defense (DoD) was created by the National Security Act of 1947, which consolidated the Department of War, the Navy Department, and the Department of the Air Force. It was during this period that the Pentagon itself was also constructed, becoming a symbol of the tremendous power and influence of the military on the domestic economy. The purpose of establishing the DoD, as well as building a structure great enough to house it, was to coordinate the work of the various branches of the armed services and help temper interservice rivalry.

The United States entered World War II with a military far smaller than it had at the close of the conflict. The devastating impact of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, combined with the sudden necessity of supplying combat missions in two separate theaters, set the stage for the development of a war economy. Factories were converted from the production of goods to supply a civilian economy to fulfill the needs of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.

The development of the war economy had a tremendous social and cultural impact upon the United States. Because a large portion of the male population went overseas to fight, job opportunities were opened to women and minorities. Victory gardens were planted to supplement the food supply, and even fashion was affected. Bathing suits became smaller due to restrictions on the supply of cloth, and nylon stockings, only recently introduced at the 1939 World's Fair, became a scarce item, sacrificed to the production of tents and parachutes.

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