Was the Internet created to survive a nuclear strike? | Silicon Folkore

The Nugget

The popular narrative that the Internet was designed to survive a nuclear attack is largely a myth, originating from misunderstandings and misattributions of early network history by journalists and authors.
Instead, the Internet's creation focused on efficiently sharing computing resources for research, not military resilience.

Make it stick

🛡️ The myth of the Internet's nuclear origin is debunked by early developers who emphasize the focus on research collaboration.
📜 ARPANET's initial aim was resource sharing among universities, not military communication.
🍃 The evolution of narratives around the Internet is an example of how common knowledge can distort truth over time.
🔍 Nuclear connections in the Internet’s history are more about storytelling than reality, stemming from Cold War anxieties.

Misinterpretation: The myth began circulating in the early '90s, as journalists misquoted or misunderstood the intentions behind ARPANET's development.
Cold War Context: Various connections to the Cold War and military planning were simplified into a catchy narrative that detracted from the original purpose of resource sharing.
Key Figures: Bob Taylor and other ARPANET developers actively sought to clarify the misconception, stressing that nuclear survival wasn't a consideration in design.

1991-1995 Timeline: Key publications transitioned from focusing on collaboration in computing to attributing military motivations for network resilience against nuclear attacks.
Secondary Sources: Works like "The Whole Internet User’s Guide" (1992) began to conflate unrelated projects with ARPANET, leading to further entrenchment of the nuclear narrative.
Response from Experts: Notable figures involved in early network design, including Vint Cerf and Paul Baran, consistently attempted to correct the record throughout the years.

Common Knowledge: A significant number of people still believe in the nuclear narrative; studies of social media comments reveal persistent acceptance of the myth.
Generational Knowledge: There is a generational shift where newer generations are more likely to engage with the myth than those directly familiar with ARPANET's actual purpose.
Historical Documentation: Various sources inaccurately linked ARPANET's inception to military survival strategy, effectively muddying the waters of Internet history.

"The Internet was a child of the Cold War first developed by the Defense Department to enable academic and military researchers to continue government work." - Unknown Source
"This is a clear example of a narrative becoming common knowledge that isn't evidenced by historical fact." - Rob Larson
"The narrative of the Internet's nuclear design is compelling, but it's not the accurate story we should promote." - Bob Taylor
"Histories are often retold to fit narratives that resonate emotionally rather than factually." - Unknown Source
"It's easier to believe in a grand military origin story than to embrace the dull truth of collaborative research." - Vint Cerf

This summary contains AI-generated information and may have important inaccuracies or omissions.