Dangerous worlds seen from 2021: American science fiction literature and the Vietnam War

Abstract

This thesis analyzes the unique militarism within Vietnam War era American science fiction literature. Science fiction is a powerful lens to observe American militarism because science fiction spoke the same language as American politicians and military leaders during the Vietnam war period. Many of the themes, character tropes, symbols, and narrative structures that society generally regards as singularly belonging to the pages of science fiction are actually part of America’s mythology during the Vietnam war. In many respects, the stories of American science fiction are as important as the “city upon a hill” and Manifest Destiny myths to understanding America as an nation, project, and idea. There are so many ideas shared between American science fiction authors and the politicians and military leaders of the United States during the Vietnam War. Because there was so much scientific advancement that occurred between WWII and the start of the Cold War, traditional narrative techniques like journalism that spoke in terms of realism often inadequately addressed topics like technology, warfare and international conflicts. American science fiction literature, whether it supported the Vietnam war or found it immoral and expensive, almost never underestimated America’s actual technological abilities or aggressive foreign policy. During the Vietnam war, American science fiction culture either served as propaganda for the U.S. State, reflecting and cultivating support for America’s doctrine of conquest, or it was politically aware, and stood in opposition to the American war machine. Broadly speaking, American science fiction of the Vietnam war period era articulated either criticism or adulation for America’s techno-fetishism, its cults of the superweapon and the super-soldier, and its resolution to expand its economic influence and geographic jurisdiction.