Chris T is right (again.... damn you, Chris T
).... the internet was invented by the US Defence Department, to see how they could maintain communication between bases during war, and crucially, when one node is taken out of the loop. However, you forgot to mention Al Gore's influential part in all this. He
invented the internet.
Oh, and it's Sir Tim Berners-Lee now
Actually, the history of how the net came to be is fascinating (if you're geeky like me). Fortunately, however, they dropped the name ARPAnet.... not quite as catchy as internet, imo.