The Forgotten Father of Our Modern Foundation.

A conversation about the most influential people in history would bring up names like Aristotle, Julius Caesar, Jesus, Johannes Gutenberg, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein. With each credited for laying down the foundation that an era could build on. In our own era, Vannevar Bush is widely unknown and could arguably be the most influential figure of modern times. Not only did his individual brilliance shine through his inventions and patents, but his leadership and character set the pace of our technological development, and paved the way for some of the greatest inventions in history.

Born in Massachusetts, this son of a reverend loved to tinker from a young age in a shop at his home. He would grow up and receive a B.S and M.S at Tufts College simultaneously (this being offered as a 4 year option). His masters thesis centered on a surveying machine that he invented and would later patent. Not being satisfied with his job options and only having enough money for 1 more year of schooling, Vannevar proposed to get his doctorate of Electrical Engineering within that year from MIT. This endeavor was criticized by the University’s board, claiming he would ruin his health over such an attempt. However, one year later after ignoring his skeptics, Vannevar Bush was awarded his doctorate while being the picture of health. This event is something that I would like to highlight, because at 25 years old he accomplished something that he was told could not be done. He disregarded the opinions of people his senior, people he respected and who would have known better than him. It was a decision driven by need and executed through determination,

Upon graduating Vannevar Bush became a professor of electrical engineering at Tufts College, while also consulting for AMRAD (American Research and Development Corporation). When WW1 broke out Bush engaged in anti-submarine research for AMRAD, with the work he did coming to little effect due to improper application by the military. He would later recount that this experience:

“forced into my mind pretty solidly the complete lack of proper liaison between the military and the civilian in the development of weapons in time of war”.

Vannevar Bush was in all sense of the word, a visionary. In his book “As We May Think” a device called a Memex is talked about as a way for people to store articles and link to other ones in order for people to better organize stored information, this machine is acknowledged by Ted Nelson as the inspiration behind hypertext. But unlike other giants in our past, who contributed to society through inventions. Vannevar Bush laid down the foundation for nearly all our modern technologies through his leadership and administration.

Post WW1 saw Bush eventually transition to becoming the president of the Carnegie Institute (Washington DC) in 1938, while also being appointed chairman of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Living in D.C. Vennevar Bush would comment on how quickly he was exposed to the “mysterious ways in which one operates in the Washington maze”. It was here that his greatest work would begin to take root. When WW2 broke out in Europe, Bush along with some other prominent scientists were worried about how technologically unprepared the U.S military was. Bush submitted four short paragraphs to President Roosevelt, outlining a plan to establish a National Defense Research Committee (NDRC). The response was “OK-FDR” and on June 27th 1940 an order was issued establishing the council with Bush as its director. As the committee’s responsibilities and influence grew, Vanenvar Bush was always unquestionably the boss having the confidence of the President and Congress.

“There were those who protested that the action of setting up NDRC was an end run, a grab by which a small company of scientists and engineers acting outside established channels, got hold of the authority and money for the program of developing new weapons. That, in fact, is exactly what it was. Moreover, it was the only way in which a broad program could be launched rapidly and on an adequate scale. To operate through established channels would have involved delays and hazard that independence, all might have been lost, that independence which was the central feature of the organization’s success.” – Vannevar Bush

This brings us to the most influential actions that Bush would implement in his lifetime. The method in which the NDRC pursued its research and the committee’s independence from government oversight. Instead of requiring absolute control over each project, the NDRC contracted out research to universities and industrial laboratories. This enabled each project to be delegated to institutions best suited for the work, and allowed the NDRC to pursue research beyond what the military or congress approved of. The notable exception to this policy was the Manhattan Project, where Bush recognized the need for absolute secrecy and security, so he recommended that the military be responsible while still retaining his oversight.

As WW2 came to a close, Vannevar Bush recognized the need to further establish support for science and technology, so he wrote a report called “Science-The Endless Frontier”.  Bush explained that for economic prosperity to occur after the war, it would need to be predicated by “basic scientific research” and that basic scientific research was economic capital. This term was carefully thought out by Bush, as he needed to combat the perspective that funding should only go to projects that showed promise. His goal was to enable even smallest institutions to capitalize on creativity and pursuing new unproven avenues. So in 1947 the National Science Foundation (NSF) was established by congress. President Truman conditionally passed the bill expecting Bush to be chairman. Bush however, declined the position saying:

“ I have been running about everything scientific during the war, and somewhat since, and I think people are getting tired of seeing this guy Bush run things around here. I think this outfit would be better if it has some new leadership. If you put me on the board, they will elect me chairman, and I do not think the body of scientists are going to like this continuation of one man in the top post.”

This level of humility could only have been achieved by having a clear vision of the future, and a conviction beyond his personal preference.  The NSF was the next evolution of the NDRC, the brainchild of Vannevar Bush. He spent over a decade guiding and nurturing the foundation, so for him to have the wisdom and character to allow others to take control is truly incredible.

Bush took a step back from his administration posts, and left active leadership in 1948. Caryl P. Haskins, his successor at Carnegie Institute recounted that “His great gifts of intellect, of personality, and of administrative ability brought to the Institution one of the most formative and dynamic periods inspired by any president in its history”. The case that would declare Vannevar Bush the most influential person in modern history lies in the far reaching effects of his endeavors. He was the author in establishing relationships between the military and scientific community, guiding the U.S into adopting a technology driven approach to war. The fruits of this relationship has brought us innovations like the internet, GPS, atomic energy and smartphones, with civilian research today only being possible due to Bush’s insistence that scientific creativity was a source of economic growth.

“If you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you are going” – Maya Angelou. Our societal trajectory is still influenced by Vannevar Bush’s work today, and has stood the test of time due to his character as a leader, administrative abilities and insistence that scientific creativity is more than curiosity, it is in of itself integral to progress. So go out and pursue a passion, a curiosity or just try something new because the world you live in today is based on it.

Hope you liked my article! Please comment your thoughts about Vannevar Bush and one innovation you can credit to his work. Subscribe to my blog, I will be posting my writings on current events, analysis’ of giants in our past and different elements to life.

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