Alas, Babylon Background Notes

Alas, Babylon was written in 1959 by Pat Frank, who worked for many years as a war correspondent. His real name was Harry Hart but he wrote under a pseudonym.

Alas, Babylon is a post- apocalyptic novel, which means that it takes place after a major catastrophe.

The novel expresses the fears and concerns that Americans had during the Cold War. The Cold War refers to a time of tension and hostility between the United States and The Soviet Union. It was called the “Cold” War because it never led to direct military intervention or battle.

After World War II, the United States wanted to spread Democracy throughout the world, but they feared that the Soviet Union would spread Communism to other countries. Wars like Vietnam and Korea were fought to prevent the spread of Communism. The United States feared that if these countries became Communist, other countries would follow. They called this The Domino Theory.

The Cold War was not fought with bombs or guns The Cold War was not fought with bombs or guns. It was fought with spies and technology. During World War II, Soviet spies infiltrated the Manhattan Project, which was the scientific project that led to the development of the atomic bomb.

Sometimes the 1950s is referred to as The Atomic Age because the world had just seen the power of the Atomic Bomb. Nuclear blasts could have devastating effects. When an atom bomb explodes, it releases “fallout”. Fallout consists of small particles that settle on the ground and contain radiation. “Radiation” is a type of highly concentrated atomic energy that can have devastating effects on anything it touches.

As tension increased between the Soviet Union and the United States, people became more afraid of attack. Students had to do Air Raid Drills where they were told to “Duck and Cover.”

The government also funded the construction of fallout shelters, where people could hide in case of a nuclear attack.

In the 1950s, The Americans began to fear the the country had been infiltrated by Communists and Soviet spies. J. Edgar Hoover, the Director of the FBI, began a crusade to find “subversives.” Senator Joseph McCarthy (R-Wisconsin) joined J. Edgar Hoover in his search to eliminate Soviet spies. This led to a series of trials prosecuting suspected Communist agitators. These trials were called the “McCarthy Trials” and led to the “Red Scare.”

Sputnik What the Soviets thought it was: What Americans thought it was: What it really was:

Americans were afraid of Sputnik for three reasons: 1.) They were afraid that Russia could use Sputnik to spy on the United States. 2.) If Russia has the technology to go into space, they may also have the technology to bomb the United States or worse. 3.) The United States believed that if the Soviets controlled space, they could also control the world.

The Cold War officially ended in 1989 when the Berlin Wall, which was erected after WWII to separate Soviet East Berlin and Allied West Berlin, was torn down.

Final Thoughts Alas Babylon was really scary to people in the 1950’s because they thought it was a glimpse into the future. The fears in this book are the same fears all Americans had at the time: a possible attack by the Soviet Union. Pat Frank was using the current political turmoil to his advantage. Since then, this book has become a classic in the “post apocalyptic” genre.

Strategic Air Command “World War II left in its wake a conflict in ideology between the United States and the Soviet Union that quickly escalated into what became known as the “Cold War.” Toward deterring aggression, the U. S. built a vast nuclear arsenal, most of it under the control of the Strategic Air Command. The Soviet premier banged his shoe on the United Nation’s podium and screamed wildly at the American ambassador, “We will bury you.” SAC had over a thousand jet bombers that dared them to try.” http://www.strategic-air-command.com/intro/SAC-Intro.htm