History is marked by constant reinvention. Each era, from the most prosperous to the bloodiest, sees the birth of its own innovations. The needs related to each crisis context They lead to a resurgence of industrial ingenuity, enabling social and corporate development. But then… do wars stimulate creativity? Well, yes! Obviously, innovations affect the arms industry and medicine. But a military crisis can also be beneficial to art or culture. The fall of Constantinople led to the discovery of numerous ancient texts. The Italian Wars gave us the Renaissance… The Team We Are COM offers you its epic tale of small but great inventions. 👊
📞 In times of crisis, communication is essential!
The recent lockdown is a perfect example. It should have kept people apart… Instead, we've never communicated so much. This need to communicate during times of upheaval is nothing new!
The walkie-talkie
First of all, thank you to Canada, which developed the walkie-talkie in 1940 for military purposes. It is Motorola who markets this invention based on short-range radiographic links. It would seem that the name comes from a soldier who once told a journalist that he was walking while talking: "walkie-talkie".
The computer
The ancestor of our computer also emerged during wartime. Called Colossus, it was developed by British engineers to decipher Nazi codes. These machines were destroyed when the war ended. The secrets of this groundbreaking technology remained closely guarded for a long time.
We can also mention automotive innovations, with the emergence of brands such as Volkswagen or, Jeep !
The car for everyone
It was in 1934 that Chancellor Adolf Hitler decided to create, for the German people, a car accessible to allA true propaganda tool! Porsche wins the contract. The model had to primarily combine power and economy. In a context of preparing for war, the dictator also had military requirements: the ability to transport three soldiers and a machine gun, to reach a speed of 100 km/h, to consume less than 5 liters of gasoline per 100 km…
The all-purpose car
As for JeepThe acronym stands for "General Purpose." This can be translated as "all-purpose vehicle." The American government, anticipating its entry into the emerging conflict, wanted to create a car that would facilitate military transport. The innovation lay in the fact that it had four-wheel drive, allowing the vehicle to adapt to all terrains—a considerable advantage!
💡 Other essential inventions
The rocket
The rocket is a 10th-century Chinese invention. And yes! It was during the siege of Yuzhang that this "flying fire" was born. The attackers launched arrows at the city that exploded on impact. This process was made possible by the presence of cylinders filled with gunpowder. They quickly improved this weapon: opening the cylinder allowed for more precise propulsion.
Sterilization
This time it is in France that Nicolas Appert He invented sterilization: "appertization." This former confectioner realized that boiling an airtight jar removes the air, thus preserving the shelf life of food. This new process proved crucial for transporting goods, particularly to the fronts of the Napoleonic Wars. In 1802, he became the official supplier to the French Navy.
The microwave
Today we couldn't live without it, and yet, it was only invented in 1945: the microwave! The work of the American engineer Percy Spender, focused on the design of radars for the US Navy, within the company RaytheonOne day he realized that the unusual smell he had been detecting was none other than chocolate that had melted in his pocket, thanks to the magnetron. He repeated the experiment with popcorn. Two years later, the patent was filed.
Globally renowned brands such as M & Ms where Fanta They, too, are born under the bombs.
Sugar-coated chocolates (yum)
We are in the midst of the Spanish Civil War, when the American Forrest Mars He noted that soldiers often coated chocolate balls with sugar to prevent them from melting in the heat. Upon returning to the United States, he created the famous candy in partnership with Bruce Murrie, thus forming Mars & Murrie. M & MsDuring World War II, American soldiers were particularly fond of these treats, which were easy to transport in their cardboard tubes.
Orange drink… or apple drink
Fanta, formerly Phantasy, was created when the United States entered the war against Nazi Germany. Then, deliveries of syrup from coca-cola are no longer insured. Max Keith, responsible for famous American company In Germany, they decided to develop a soda using locally available products: whey and pressed apple pulp. Production ceased in 1949 before being resumed and slightly modified by the Coca-Cola Company in 1955.
👉 The final word
Did this article inspire you? To conclude, let's mention the brand. Heinz, this ketchup giant. Heinz is not exactly a crisis innovation, but was able to reinvent itself and develop during the Second World War. A great example of anticipation and responsiveness!
Ketchup
The famous sauce, essential to our burgers, was created in Pittsburgh in 1869. Much later, it was the inventor's son, Howard Heinz, who increased the brand's renown. In 1940, he had the ingenuity to provide soldiers with special rations: self-heating cans of soup. This food revolution was a real advertising success! After the liberation, the tomato ketchup had conquered Europe. Investing in times of crisis It also allows you to emerge as a winner, in terms of brand awareness and image. A communication lesson not to be forgotten!
MARCO PIZZORNO
journalist, writer, teacher and guest of the We Are COM team
