Congress holds 25 hearings throughout 1959 to investigate the revolving door between defense contractors and senior military officials, marking the first systematic examination of conflicts of interest in weapons procurement. General Omar Bradley, who served as the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs …
U.S. CongressGeneral Omar BradleyDepartment of DefenseDefense Contractorsrevolving-doormilitary-industrial-complexdefense-contractsconflict-of-interestcongressional-oversight
The U.S. Navy awards Electric Boat the contract to design and build the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Nautilus (SSN-571), marking a pivotal moment in the military-industrial complex’s evolution. The contract launch demonstrates how Cold War nuclear competition drives …
Electric BoatGeneral Dynamics CorporationJohn Jay HopkinsU.S. NavyAdmiral Hyman Rickovermilitary-industrial-complexdefense-contractsnuclear-weaponscorporate-consolidationcold-war
The House Armed Services Committee exonerates Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson and Air Force Secretary Stuart Symington of corruption charges related to the B-36 bomber contract, despite Johnson’s recent service on Convair Corporation’s board of directors. An anonymous document …
Louis JohnsonConvair CorporationHouse Armed Services CommitteeCarl VinsonStuart Symington+1 moremilitary-industrial-complexrevolving-doorconflict-of-interestdefense-contractssystematic-corruption+1 more
Following Japan’s surrender ending World War II, major defense contractors including Boeing, Lockheed, General Dynamics, and converted automotive manufacturers face the challenge of transitioning from massive wartime production to peacetime economy. The War Production Board, which directed …
BoeingLockheedGeneral DynamicsWar Production BoardCivilian Production Administrationmilitary-industrial-complexdefense-contractscorporate-subsidyeconomic-manipulationworld-war-ii