The Creation of Information Technology

Introduction

‘Necessity is the mother of all invention,’ this is a saying that can be used to describe how information technology has developed over the years due to the need to develop machinery and devices that will help human beings accomplish certain tasks. Information technology is defined as the use of computers, storage and networking all for the purpose of creating, processing, storing, securing and exchanging electronic data.  Information technology played a very crucial role during the World War II in determining which country would emerge victoriously. The World War II contributed to the development of the aviation industry, navigation industry, communication sector and even aerospace advancement (Rouse, n.d). The development of these technologies was boosted by the need of finding better ways of destroying their enemies and giving them a competitive advantage that will enable then to win the war. Therefore, governments decided to put their resources into research and development of technology, that if not for the war, then they would not have been developed or created. This essay seeks to examine the development of technology in the United States from World War II to the 21^st Century as well as determining who played the most important role between the government and the private sector. Among the developments captured are; military advancement, development in communication, aerospace technology, and the nuclear power.

The United States and the other countries that encouraged technological advancement during this period are considered the world super powers today. This is because these countries have advanced military and defense technologies and also better navigation systems that have given them a better advantage to other countries. Technology greatly contributed to civilization as it made it easier for industries to produce their products, which in turn contributed to globalization. This goes to show how important and how much we rely on technology in our lives today.

Technology in Military Advancement

During the war, the need of having aircraft to launch missiles was important in assaulting their enemies. For example, the German Nazi-built the ‘buzz bomb’, an aircraft that is automatic which was used during the Nazi’s invasion of Europe. Governments trained both men and women on how to fly the aircraft used in the bombing. Bombing raids through aircraft were taken as an alternative to the trench warfare. These aircraft laid down the blueprints that have gone ahead to influence the current aircraft advancements in military aircraft today.  Recently, United States troops used air strikes when trying to combat terrorist zones like Iraq.

Aircraft advancement is not the only benefit that the military derived from the world war. The period brought about changes in the design of weapons used during the war. The use of tanks and ships that were fully equipped with great machine power and were designed to increase the strike range.  Today, though warships are still used to protect United States waterways, the use of submarine has made it easy for the military to protect the United States from its enemies without being detected.  Firearms with automatic rifles were developed during this period which has advanced to smaller and portable fire weapons.

Technology in Communication Advancement

Having an advantage over your opponent is what helped countries like the United States and Britain defeat Germany during World War II. The use of Radar to reflect solid objects made it easy to detect bombs and organize response attacks before they strike. The use of radio waves made it easy to communicate through a transmitter and a receiver. This technology has been developed further and continues to play a critical role in the aviation industry. Radar is used by the watch tower and pilots to let them know of any incoming obstacle and to warn ships of any collision during navigation. Radar also plays a major role in remote sensing used in military mapping and outlining areas that have environmental degradation.

The technology used in communication has also developed from the use of a telephone to use a cellular phone that is easily portable and can allow the use of messages which was very uncommon during the world war. During this period, the use of radio and telegraphy was used to disseminate information. Computers also played a major role in gaining and disseminating information about different allies and foes during the war. For example, the programmed computer was used to hack into enemies’ information and determine the strategies they would use. Since then, computers have developed immensely from desktops to laptops which are easily portable. Computers and the all the programs play an important role in governments, companies, and homes management since they depend on technology to carry out different tasks.

Technology and Aerospace Advancement

Human beings have always been fascinated by the theory of life beyond planet earth. After the World War II, there was a technological advancement that contributed to the development of rockets and satellites which have been used to explore space. This advancement has gone ahead to put a man on the moon which is considered a milestone achievement.

Nuclear Power Development

America developed the first atom bomb during the World War II that was used to bomb Hiroshima. After the war, the potential of every nation that had nuclear power decided to avoid using nuclear weapons due to the detrimental effect it had in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This discovery has then contributed to the discovery of nuclear power that is used as clean energy and is considered environmentally friendly.

The Most Important Sector

The government played the most important role by being in the forefront in encouraging the development of technology since the World War II. The government created an environment that is friendly to the developers by encouraging private sector investment and sponsoring all communication programs. Government contribution did help develop the telegraph service which made it easy for people to communicate at the time. The government has been supporting the exploration of space by encouraging research and development of the aerospace exploration by funding programs of NASA as the private industry did not have the needed resources to boost this sector. This industry has continued to be very important to the country once the launching of rockets was considered. Photographs taken from out of space stations and satellites have enabled us to record any changes that are happening to our planet. It has also made it possible for America and the rest of the world to become more knowledgeable about other planets in the solar system and the rest of the universe.

The World War II had many devastating effects since it leads to loss of many lives. However, with this war came technological advancement that continues to impact our lives today. Technological advancement in communication has made it easy for people to communicate despite their geographical position which has, in turn, contributed to globalization. Technology has made it easy for the military to carry out its activities efficiently by providing efficient weaponry, better military aircraft, and jets, well-equipped warships that have an efficient navigation system. The use of technology has also lead to the development of the pharmaceutical industry as technology in the laboratory has made it easy for medicines to be developed.

Technology will always be pivotal in determining where we go in future because technology helps make life easier. However, even with the benefits gained from technological development, there is also a negative side to advancement. For example, there is an increase of cyber crimes that affect the communication sector and also an increase in terrorist attacks which has been made easy by technology as people can be radicalized into doing the wrong actions with only watching videos on their computers, television or phones

Conclusion

The Post World War II marked a milestone for rapid technological development in the United States and this was in the areas such as; military advancement, development in communication, aerospace technology, and the nuclear power. Technology continues to be instrumental in the development of any government and company. The government played the most important role by providing a suitable environment, sponsoring communication programs and the space exploration. However, the private sector cannot be undermined as it also contributed to the trend.