Old Bulletproof Vests Were Made of Paper

Dujeonggap, the armor worn by generals during the Joseon Dynasty

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist] The history of body armor designed to protect infantry soldiers is long. In the West, it dates back to 2525 BC, and in the East, it began around the 9th century.

The world's first armor originated in ancient Sumer, corresponding to present-day Iraq, as well as in the West. On the so-called Eagle Stele erected by King Eannatum of Sumer before 2525 BC, the equipment of soldiers is depicted. Sumerian infantry wore long, thick leather tunics decorated with small metal nails, and on their heads, they wore copper helmets suitable for leather. This is the world's first armor.

The first armor made in China around the 9th century was a garment made by layering fifteen sheets of paper. It was designed to deflect arrows, and the armor helped arrows miss their target. Chainmail armor in the 14th century was quite heavy. Made from about 170 pieces, it took four months to produce. There was no change in the 15th century either. At that time, a single suit of armor weighed about 27 to 32 kg. This is compared to the 50 kg military gear carried by infantry in World War I or the 55 kg gear carried by the British Navy during the Falklands War. Later, in the 19th century, the first modern bulletproof vest was created by layering multiple sheets of silk.

The first fiber bulletproof vest was made by the American company DuPont. It began when Stephanie Kwolek, a female employee, developed the fiber known as Kevlar in 1971. Kevlar is a very tough material, inspired by the idea of "stopping the progress of something once it gets caught." Bulletproof vests use a mesh structure to disperse impact, and most vests include padding to absorb the shock. In other words, the principle of bulletproof vests is not to repel bullets but to entangle the spinning bullet within dozens of layers of tough threads woven from Kevlar, much like a bullet getting caught in a net.

Following the helmet, police showed interest when Kevlar bulletproof vests were developed. Most police officers wore Kevlar vests during duty. In 1987, the International Association of Chiefs of Police collaborated with DuPont to establish a "Survivors Club" to encourage police officers to wear bulletproof vests. Officers who survived or were unharmed by wearing Kevlar vests were commended. To date, more than 3,000 survivors have received this commendation.

Many lives were saved thanks to one female employee. Stephanie Kwolek, who developed the bulletproof vest, worked at DuPont for 40 years before retiring in 1986. In recognition of her contributions, she was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame in 1995 and received the Perkin Medal from the American Chemical Society in 1997.

However, until the Vietnam War in the 1970s, the United States did not favor Kevlar bulletproof vests. Some officers believed that defensive equipment hindered soldiers' aggressiveness.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.