Eisenhower’s farewell speech 1961

“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.”

At the end of his tenure as president, Dwight Eisenhower gave the following speech -- warning of the growing influence of the "military-industrial complex." He refers to the increasing military buildup in the United States throughout the 1950s. This growth of the defense industry fueled the nation's growing economy, and by 1960 amounted to more than half of the U.S. federal expenditure. Much of the civilian population was financially dependent on defense industry, and most universities thrived on the increased research opportunities. CNN interactive