What do nylon stockings and atomic bombs have in common? DuPont. The
chemical firm of DuPont de Nemours pioneered the development of both
nylon and plutonium, playing an important role in the rise of mass
consumption and the emergence of the notorious "military-industrial
complex." In this fascinating account of the lives and careers of Du
Pont's chemical engineers, Pap A. Ndiaye deftly illustrates the
contribution of industry to the genesis of a dominant post-World War II
"American model" connecting prosperity with security.
The consumer and military dimensions of twentieth-century American
history are often studied separately. Ndiaye reunites them by examining
Du Pont's development of nylon, which symbolized a new way of life, and
plutonium, which was synonymous with annihilation. Reflecting on the
experiences and contributions of the company's engineers and physicists,
Ndiaye traces Du Pont's transformation into one of the corporate models
of American success.