Military Inventions Used by Civilians

While many technologies invented for military use involve weapons, some military inventions were developed by doctors, fashion designers, and culinary workers to assist with military-support operations. The act of inflicting harm on others has pushed doctors to develop new techniques to treat injuries, while others have put their minds to outfitting an army with more useful equipment. Over time, these inventions found their way into the private sector, where civilians have enjoyed the benefits of newly discovered technologies.

Canned Food

• The practice of preserving food was first used by Napoleon as the French, according to Steven Dutch of the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. The French military forces needed large amounts of food for a growing army. At first the French used champagne bottles to preserve food. Later, English troops carried metal cans of food as they engaged in military campaigns around the world. The English public started buying canned food in 1830, but such preserved food was expensive and considered a luxury for the rich.

Plastic Surgery

• World War I involved troops fighting in trench warfare, using more destructive weaponry such as machine guns. As recorded on the Smithsonian's website, an American doctor who pioneered facial reconstructive surgery said men were often hit in the face after popping their heads up out of the trenches in an effort to see what the opposing forces were doing. Artists and doctors worked together to try to restore the facial features of injured veterans of the Great War.

Trench Coats

• The fashion world also owes the invention of the timeless trench coat to the military. Thomas Burberry invented the water-repellent material trench coats were originally made of, which the British military issued to its officers. The trench coat literally came by its name since it was used by United States soldiers in the trenches during World War I. The loops on the shoulders of the trench coat held the rank insignias of the person wearing the coat. Trench coats were lightweight, allowing the wearer to stay warm while moving more freely as compared to heavier coats that soldiers used in the past. Later in the 20th Century civilians started to wear trench coats