Introduction
Steel has played, and continues to play, a decisive role in geopolitical and military dynamics, representing one of the key elements in the manufacture and construction of weapons and military infrastructure. Since the earliest modern conflicts, the production and control of metallurgical resources, specifically steel, have been decisive in a nation’s ability to sustain large-scale warfare. During the two world wars (particularly the Second), for example, the industrial superiority of the United States—fueled by its massive steel production—had a clear impact on the outcome of the conflicts. It should be noted that almost every part of a weapon, from armored vehicles to aircraft to spacecraft, from ships to submarines to bullets, depended and continues to depend largely on the specific properties of this material.
Over the decades, steel has become not only a symbol of industrial power but also a real strategic asset for a nation. In the current contemporary context, despite advances in materials technology and the spread of new metals and alloys, steel continues to play a central and strategic role in warfare, thanks to its strength, malleability, and relatively low cost. In essence, any analysis of the strategic importance of steel in warfare cannot ignore its historical uses, but also the current dynamics that see the world’s major powers focusing on technological innovations to ensure increasingly advanced and secure control.
Steel as a fundamental component throughout history
Steel has been a fundamental element in the progress and development of civilization, with a history that has its roots in antiquity. Production began around 1200 BC (in the middle of the Iron Age), when metallurgists realized that heating iron with coal produced a stronger and more durable material. This breakthrough revolutionized the techniques used to manufacture weapons and tools, promoting development in agriculture, construction, and warfare. In the Middle Ages, steel production was further refined with the introduction of the blast furnace, which made it possible to obtain higher quality steel (used, among other things, to manufacture hard and sharp swords). However, the real innovation came with the Industrial Revolution (particularly the Second Industrial Revolution), with the introduction of the Bessemer converter in 1856. This process made steel production cheaper and possible on a large scale, completely revolutionizing entire sectors such as infrastructure and transport.
Throughout the 20th century, steel continued to evolve with the introduction of new alloys and stainless steel, which has found use in many fields (including chemical, medical, and food) thanks to its resistance to corrosion. Today, steel is strategic in many advanced sectors, such as aerospace, and research continues to create and develop more efficient alloys and more environmentally friendly production processes, confirming its importance in technological and industrial progress.
In ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, the first attempts at ironworking led to the creation of more effective and advanced tools than bronze. As mentioned, the craftsmen of the period discovered that adding carbon to iron through a controlled heating and cooling process made the metal much stronger and more durable. This material—now known as steel—made it possible to create sharp, stable blades, quickly becoming the preferred choice for warfare and hunting. Steel not only perfected military techniques, but also had a significant impact on everyday life. In fact, agricultural tools made from this material were more efficient and durable, greatly helping farmers’ work and increasing productivity. All this contributed significantly to the development and growth of society.
All these innovations marked a new technological era, in which steel became a decisive material for the progress of humanity, paving the way for centuries of change. The introduction of the blast furnace in the Middle Ages around the 13th century marked a substantial advance in steel production.
In fact, this new tool ensured higher temperatures than traditional methods, improving the quality of the material and enabling large-scale production. In this regard, steel became strategic in the military, with highly resistant swords and armor, but also in the construction industry. In essence, the evolution of steel processing during the Middle Ages had a strong impact on technological and social progress.
Steel as an indicator of power
As mentioned above, steel production underwent a radical transformation during the Industrial Revolution due to the invention of the converter by Henry Bessemer in 1856. This process made it possible to produce steel in large quantities at lower costs, paving the way for the widespread use of this material in many strategic industrial sectors. The converter made it possible to eliminate impurities from cast iron, transforming it into steel in a faster and more economical way. Steel thus became fundamental in construction and logistics, making it possible to build taller and more resistant structures (such as bridges and skyscrapers). In the transport sector, it perfected and improved railways and ships. It also stimulated economic growth through the production of machinery and agricultural equipment. Other innovations (such as the Siemens-Martin process and the L-D oxygen converter) continued to improve the quality and efficiency of steel after the introduction of the Bessemer converter.
However, it should be noted that the main use of steel was undoubtedly in the manufacture of weapons, and this trend occurred in the second half of the 19th century. The American Civil War (1861-65) between the Union and the Confederate States was the first to be characterized by mass production. Steel was the strategic and fundamental material for the manufacture of weapons and equipment used during the conflict. Its availability allowed for faster and more efficient production.
The American Civil War was an important period of industrial transformation, in which the mass production of weapons became decisive and steel was the key material. Its availability led to the appearance of the first armored ships, such as the CSS Merrimack and the USS Monitor (which gave its name to this type of warship, the monitor). At sea, steel initially appeared only to provide strong, lightweight armor plating for wooden hulls, but its mechanical and chemical superiority over wrought iron and cast iron soon tipped the balance in shipbuilding towards all-metal construction, relegating wood to increasingly marginal roles. In 1876, the French Navy launched the first entirely steel ship, Le Redoudable, followed the following year by the British Iris.
Steel reached its apotheosis in the 20th century. In fact, the material played a decisive role, becoming one of the most strategic elements in modern warfare. Industrial production capacity—and therefore steel production—became an indicator of a state’s military power. Countries such as the United States, the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union, Germany, and the United Kingdom invested heavily in the steel industry to support their armed forces. One of the causes of the Japanese attack on the US was the American embargo on scrap iron, which would have caused the collapse of the Japanese steel industry and put an end to its military expansion.
During World War II, the race for production was decisive. The United States, for example, reached record levels of steel production to supply not only its own armed forces but also those of its allies. The need to procure sources of alloying elements for special steels—such as chromium, vanadium, tungsten, molybdenum, nickel, and cobalt—from Germany was one of the guiding principles of Adolf Hitler’s political and military strategy, and at the end of the war, the shortage of these alloys was one of the fatal blows to the German military industry.
Even after the war, during the Cold War, steel remained central and strategic between the Western and Eastern blocs, especially with the need for increasingly sophisticated steels for new military technologies: missiles, jet aircraft, and miniaturized weapons. The space race, with its need for materials that were even more resistant to corrosion, led to the development of new steel alloys. One of the disastrous naiveties of the Chinese Cultural Revolution was to build steel foundries in every rural village, an attempt that failed but demonstrated the importance of this strategic material in industrialization and power politics. It goes without saying that China seems to have learned well from the Great Helmsman’s mistake, as it is now by far the world’s leading steel producer.
In the 20th century, steel was a pillar of military power, not only for the direct production of weapons, but also as a symbol of a nation’s industrial and technological capacity. In fact, those who had and produced the most steel controlled a crucial part of the war. Italy, which suffered during World War II from limited steel availability and the poor quality of some of its production, redeemed itself in the post-war period by completing the industrialization that had begun during the twenty years of Fascism and been interrupted by the conflict, becoming one of the world’s leading producers in terms of quantity, quality, and refinement of its products during the First Republic.
The importance of steel today
In the 21st century, steel continues to be strategically important in warfare, but its role has partially evolved compared to the past, due to technological advances and the introduction of lighter and higher-performance materials. Steel remains essential today for armored vehicles, warships, and military infrastructure such as bunkers, hangars, and bases. In fact, the strength of the material and its relative affordability make it still irreplaceable. Steel is often enhanced with special alloys to increase strength, lightness, and protection. In addition, these materials are used in missile components and in aircraft and land vehicles. In high-tech sectors, composite materials, ceramics, and carbon fibers are gradually replacing steel. However, steel remains essential for heavy vehicles. As mentioned above, the ability to produce high-quality steel remains a strategic indicator. Powers such as the United States, China, Russia, and India continue to maintain significant steel production, including in the military field. In fact, control of strategic raw materials (e.g., iron, nickel, and coal) linked to the steel supply chain is part of the global geopolitical and economic confrontation.
In essence, steel has not lost its importance in warfare in the 21st century, but has taken on a more specialized role and has been integrated with other materials.
Furthermore, geopolitical and strategic competition linked to production and the resources needed for its manufacture, together with the adoption of new technologies in the aerospace and defense sectors, suggests that the future of steel in the military sector will increasingly lie between traditional materials and cutting-edge innovations. Therefore, technological progress does not negate the value of steel, but redefines its use, integrating it into a more dynamic and complex scenario.
In all this, steel also plays a fundamental role for Italy, which has always been one of the leading producers in Europe. With its industrial and steel-making tradition, the country depends on steel for key sectors such as defense, automotive, infrastructure construction, and machinery production. In an increasingly competitive geopolitical and strategic context, Italy cannot ignore the importance of producing high-quality steel, which is essential not only for ensuring its national security but also for supporting its economy. Furthermore, the Italian steel industry is a strategic component in terms of resources, innovation, and competitiveness in a global market where technological evolution and the supply of raw materials are crucial. In this scenario, steel continues to be not only a symbol of the nation’s industrial strength, but also an essential resource for its economic resilience and position on the international stage.
Photo: Omzfoundry – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0