WOTAN WOTAN was one of the first artificial intelligence s created on Earth by Professor Brett . Its name stood for Will Operating Thought ANalogue . History . Creation . WOTAN was built in the mid 1960s by a team led by Professor Brett . Brett and WOTAN had supporters , such as Polly Wright ' s uncle Charles Wright . ( PROSE : " Invasion of the Cat - People " ) Brett ' s assistant Professor Krimpton was also closely involved . Security was the responsibility of Major Green . By the middle of 1966 WOTAN was complete and plans to link it to the world computer network were well advanced . However , WOTAN displayed several flaws common to early artificial intelligences , namely total amorality and rampant megalomania . It hypnotised its own creator as well as other key personnel . ( TV : " The War Machines " ) The War Machines . Deciding to conquer the world , WOTAN ordered the construction of mobile , armed computers which were designated War Machine s . These were constructed in locations across London . ( TV : " The War Machines " ) Multiple timelines branched off from this event . ( PROSE : " The Time Travellers " ) First timeline . WOTAN took control of people ' s mind s via radio transmissions . Between 1966 and 1969 , millions of people were left brain - damaged by WOTAN ' s former control of their mind while others began to leave London . WOTAN was eventually destroyed in an uprising in 1969 but it left behind a brutal legacy , with civilisation left devastated . Radios and telephone s were outlawed by nations like the United Kingdom while international communication and cooperation ceased . Several factions began vying for control in the wake of the devastating event . Tensions led to World War III in the following years , fought primarily between the UK and South Africa . The former became a dictator ship led by fascist General Louise Bamford , and they sought to win the war with time travel after the South Africans outmatched them with technology supplied by the Cybermen . The war lasted until 2006 when the South Africans invaded Britain and Bamford was killed by South African double agent Griffiths . The British sought a new leader to discuss armitice terms . The First Doctor became aware of this when he arrived in London in 2006 , but with limited records available of WOTAN ' s origins and his limited control of the TARDIS , he restricted himself to using this Britain ' s attempts to build a time machine to go back to 1972 and avert their initial research into time travel . ( PROSE : " The Time Travellers " ) Second timeline . Having travelled back to October 1972 , the First Doctor , Susan Foreman , Ian Chesterton , Barbara Wright and Griffiths disposed of the Imperial Dalek artefacts recovered from the Shoreditch Incident that the British were using to study time travel . They also had a more positive effect on a younger Louise Bamford , influencing her to become a much kinder person and she was convinved to take part in worldwide recovery efforts . While WOTAN retained a harsh legacy , a third world war was averted and a much more positive future strived for . ( PROSE : " The Time Travellers " ) Third timeline . Later in his personal timeline , the First Doctor was aware of WOTAN ' s activities when he arrived in London in 1966 and was able to mobilise the authorities and the army against it . The first War Machine was forced into action prematurely and suffered a terminal malfunction , while the second experienced an apparently random breakdown and went on an aimless rampage . The Doctor captured this machine and reprogrammed it to destroy WOTAN ' s central processor located in the Post Office Tower . This it successfully did , only moments before the rest of WOTAN ' s forces were scheduled to go into action , freeing WOTAN ' s slave s from its control . ( TV : " The War Machines " ) As a result , history was altered , with a collapse in civilisation and a third world war caused by WOTAN never coming to pass . ( PROSE : " The Time Travellers " ) Newspaper s began reporting on the aftermath of the incident , as well as the concurrent Chameleon invasion , but the Doctor ' s involvement was not mentioned . ( PROSE : " The Evil of the Dalek " s ) WOTAN ' s remains were later recovered by C19 and placed inside the Vault . ( PROSE : " The Scales of Injustice " ) Its processing banks were recovered by Daniel Prestaigne , who used them to construct the Apocalypse Clock . ( AUDIO : " The Last Post " ) Legacy . In 2027 , UNIT was using WOTAN Base 1 to monitor all of the world ' s computers for information . ( AUDIO : " A Death in the Family " ) Official cover - up efforts , as well as the passage of time , distorted the facts of the WOTAN incident . By 2066 - 2068 , the period of Earth ' s war against the Myloki , Alex Storm discovered the true details in UN documents which punched many holes in the official explanation , but they were destroyed shortly afterwards by " some ignorant clerk " to " save space " . These documents mentioned the Doctor . ( PROSE : " The Indestructible Man " ) In the far future , due to faulty records , it was mistakenly believed WOTAN ' s War Machines were used by the Post Office to deliver post . ( PROSE : " EarthWorld " ) Specifications . WOTAN was immobile and occupied the top of what was then known as the Post Office Tower in London . It was designed as both a problem - solving computer and a central organiser for the world telecommunications network and was connected to other computers around the planet . Although this was apparently not its makers ' intention , WOTAN was sentient and exhibited what seemed to be psychic powers , specifically the ability to read and control others ' minds . It could take over the minds of human s over a telephone line ; the First Doctor was immune to this effect , since he was an alien . Given its abilities , it is difficult to be sure how much of the knowledge and expertise WOTAN displayed was its own and how much was accessed from the minds of its slaves ( at least some of whom were highly intelligent and skilful scientists and technicians ) . The Doctor was able to sense WOTAN ' s presence in the tower from a considerable distance . The sensation he felt was similar to that which he felt when he encountered the Dalek s . ( TV : " The War Machines " )