National Defense Research Committee

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The National Defense Research Committee ( NDRC ; German  " National Committee for Defense Research " ) was an organization for coordinating research in the USA during the Second World War . The NDRC operated in strict secrecy between June 27, 1940 and June 28, 1941. It was founded by the instigation of the scientist Vannevar Bush by President Franklin D. Roosevelt within a 10-minute conversation. Vannevar Bush himself became chairman. Other members of the committee were: Karl Taylor Compton , James B. Conant , Frank Jewett (Vice President of AT&T ), Richard C. Tolman, as well as one delegate from the Navy, one from the Army and one patent expert.

During the activity, the foundations for the development of radar and the atom bomb ( Manhattan project ) were laid.

June 28, 1941, the NDRC was replaced by the Office of Scientific Research and Development . Until the dissolution of the NDRC in December 1947, it was limited to pure advisory work.