If I Forget Thee, O Earth . . .

by Arthur C. Clarke

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Historical Context

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The Dawn of the Atomic Age

In August 1945, aiming to bring World War II to a swift and conclusive end, the United States deployed atomic bombs, referred to as A-bombs, on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The immediate blast and the subsequent devastation were unprecedented in human history. These actions not only hastened Japan's surrender and concluded World War II but also marked the beginning of the atomic age and the looming threat of future nuclear conflicts. During the war, numerous nations were developing their own atomic weapons. After witnessing the destruction in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, several countries accelerated their efforts to complete these weapons. In 1946, the United States, the leading global superpower, initiated a series of peacetime atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, located in the central Pacific Ocean. By 1949, the Soviet Union, another significant superpower of the era, successfully tested its first atomic bomb, demonstrating to the United States its own nuclear capabilities. By this time, the Soviet Union and the United States, allies at the conclusion of World War II, had already experienced strained relations for several years.

The Soviet–U.S. Rift

In February 1945, as Nazi Germany was nearing defeat by the Allied forces, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin—the leaders of the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union, respectively—held a historic conference in Yalta, a Russian city. During this meeting, they deliberated on how Europe should be reorganized post-war. Stalin sought to establish communist regimes in Poland and Germany and aimed to dissolve Germany, then its greatest adversary, as a nation. However, Churchill and Roosevelt were concerned about the proliferation of communism and wanted to preserve Germany's status as a country. They reached a compromise, but Stalin did not honor the agreement. After the war, Stalin took advantage of the vulnerabilities in many Eastern European nations, using the Soviet military's strength to swiftly install communist governments across much of Eastern Europe. On March 12, 1947, President Truman, through what became known as the Truman Doctrine, committed to actively preventing the spread of communism to other countries. He promptly requested funding from Congress to support nations like Greece and Turkey, which were at risk of being overtaken by Soviet-backed insurgents. This commitment to combating communism, which became a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy for many years, contributed to the growing divide between the Soviet Union and the United States.

The Cold War Intensifies

The divide widened in 1949 with the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a coalition including the United States, Canada, and ten Western European countries. In response, the Soviet Union formed the Warsaw Pact, an alliance of Eastern European states. The ongoing tensions—between the United States and the Soviet Union, NATO and the Warsaw Pact, and democracy versus communism—came to be known as the Cold War, a fitting name given the circumstances. Although the era was mostly spent in a state of non-combat, the atmosphere of distrust and paranoia between these superpowers made people feel as though they were living through a conflict. This sentiment was amplified in 1948 when Congress approved the first peacetime military draft, arguing it was essential to maintain a substantial army to counteract communism. The United States had several occasions to utilize this newly expanded military, including during the Korean War, officially termed a police action, in the early 1950s.

The Onset of the Arms Race

Throughout the Cold War, the alliances led by the United States and the Soviet Union sought to spread democracy and communism respectively across the globe. Concurrently, both sides...

(This entire section contains 1037 words.)

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escalated their stockpile of atomic bombs. However, in the early 1950s, these weapons were supplanted by thermonuclear bombs, or super bombs, which boasted a more potent explosive capacity than atomic bombs. Atomic bombs operated on the energy released through fission, or the splitting of atoms. In contrast, thermonuclear bombs, also known as hydrogen bombs or H-bombs, utilized an atomic explosion to trigger a reaction in thermonuclear fuel, leading to fusion, or the joining of atoms. Fusion, the process that powers the sun, yields a far more destructive force than fission. The United States tested its first thermonuclear device, a massive structure weighing over eighty tons, in 1952. From then on, both the United States and the Soviet Union invested heavily in developing and producing lighter thermonuclear weapons with increased payloads that could be mounted on missiles. The mere presence of this growing arsenal of nuclear weapons, encompassing any weapon using fission or fusion technology, was believed to act as a deterrent. Both sides understood that if one launched a nuclear missile, the other would inevitably retaliate, leading to nuclear war and likely global annihilation. This deterrent strategy was aptly named mutually assured destruction, or MAD.

The Public Prepares for World War III

In the United States, citizens were acutely aware that a single error from either side could unintentionally ignite World War III. Consequently, the government established the federal Civil Defense Administration (CDA) in 1951 to reassure the public. Schoolchildren were instructed—through educators and via films and newsreels—that they would be safe during a nuclear attack if they ducked and covered their heads. The most devastating aspects of nuclear conflict were minimized, and nuclear weapons were portrayed positively to gain public support. The government urged people to build concrete bomb shelters in their basements or backyards, with even reputable publications like Life magazine promoting the false belief that these bunkers would safeguard most individuals.

The Beginning of Space Flight

As the United States and the Soviet Union amassed nuclear arsenals, they also embarked on another competition: the space race. Both nations aimed to showcase their capabilities by being the first to send a human into space, and, ideally, to the moon. Although philosophers and scientists had examined the moon for millennia, it wasn't until the mid-20th century that humanity had the technology to leave Earth's atmosphere and attempt to reach it. In the early 1950s, all U.S. space research and missions were conducted through the Army and Air Force, as there was no dedicated space agency. This was fitting, as the liquid-fuel propulsion systems used in space travel were originally developed for military purposes like missiles.

Literary Style

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Science Fiction

‘‘‘If I Forget Thee, O Earth . . . ’’’ unfolds in a futuristic setting where humanity has advanced technology beyond what was available in Clarke's era. Imagining future scenarios is a defining characteristic of many science fiction narratives. Authors often envision the future by logically extending the capabilities of current technologies, as seen in this story. When it was published in 1951, the United States and the [former] Soviet Union were just beginning their space exploration efforts, with the moon, Earth's nearest celestial neighbor, being a plausible initial target. Another common feature of science fiction is its apocalyptic tone. While some authors depict how science might enhance human existence, others warn of its potential destructive power. As the narrator reflects on Marvin's perspective: ‘‘He was looking upon the funeral pyre of a world—upon the radioactive aftermath of Armageddon.’’ Clarke's stark depiction of the devastating effects of atomic warfare serves as a cautionary message. When Marvin's father recounts Earth's atomic war history, Marvin struggles to grasp ‘‘the forces that had destroyed it in the end, leaving the colony, preserved by its isolation, as the sole survivor.’’ Clarke uses Marvin's innocence and grim realizations to emphasize his belief that atomic warfare is senseless and beyond comprehension.

Setting

The lunar setting in Clarke's story is crucial for delivering his message effectively. For the narrative to resonate, the characters must be exiled beyond Earth, allowing them to observe its destruction from a safe distance. Being just ‘‘a quarter of a million miles’’ away, the moon is the only celestial body where humans can view Earth with the naked eye. This inhospitable environment highlights the peril of Earth's demise. The narrator describes the period following the colony's exile: ‘‘Then had followed the years of despair, and the long-drawn battle for survival in this fierce and hostile world.’’

Point of View

Clarke employs a third-person narrator to convey his story. In a third-person narrative, an external narrator refers to the characters. For instance, the story's opening sentence notes that Marvin's father took "him" through the colony. However, since the narrator shares the story solely from Marvin's perspective, this third-person narration is considered a limited point of view. This approach is particularly effective here, as the reader uncovers information simultaneously with Marvin, ensuring that neither fully understands the situation until the story concludes. The only distinction between Marvin's and the reader's awareness is that, initially, Marvin knows he is on the moon, while the reader does not. Throughout much of the narrative, details about the moon's setting are gradually revealed to the reader as Marvin observes the lunar surface for the first time. These hints include descriptions of the land "burning beneath the fierce sun that crawled so slowly across the jet-black sky," the appearance of "a jumbled wasteland of craters, mountain ranges, and ravines," and "the skeleton of a crashed rocket." When Marvin and his father arrive at what should be a dark valley, he is startled to find it "awash with a cold white radiance," which is soon identified as light from the damaged earth—a revelation for both Marvin and Clarke's readers.

Compare and Contrast

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1950s: The United States faces the ongoing threat of nuclear war.

Today: In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., the United States engages in a different kind of conflict. The public now lives with a pervasive fear of chemical and biological attacks.

1950s: The U.S. government releases numerous propaganda films and newsreels aimed at easing citizens' fears by claiming that radiation from atomic bombs poses no threat if proper precautions are taken. This includes building personal bomb shelters believed capable of withstanding nuclear explosions, radiation, and fallout. Even trusted media outlets help spread these misconceptions.

Today: With the rise in biological and chemical terrorism incidents, both the U.S. government and media frequently update the public on the potential consequences of these threats in an effort to prepare citizens.

1950s: The United States and the Soviet Union compete to launch the first satellite and send the first spacecraft beyond Earth's atmosphere. Initially driven by Cold War politics, space missions become more focused on scientific goals with the establishment of NASA in 1958.

Today: The United States, Russia, and numerous other nations collaborate by providing parts and personnel for the International Space Station, which is currently in orbit around Earth. The station serves multiple purposes, including conducting scientific research.

Media Adaptations

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Clarke’s collection, Earthlight and Other Stories: The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke (1950–1951), includes an audio version of the story ‘‘‘If I Forget Thee, O Earth . . .’’’ along with other classic tales by Clarke. Produced by Audio Literature in 2001, this unabridged audio collection features a different narrator for each story.

The 1951 short story ‘‘The Sentinel’’ by Clarke was transformed into the film and novelization 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) by Clarke and director Stanley Kubrick. Clarke makes a cameo appearance in this Academy Award-winning movie, which was released by Warner Home Video in both VHS and DVD formats in 2001.

The Best Short Stories of Arthur C. Clarke: The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke offers an audio adaptation of ‘‘‘If I Forget Thee, O Earth . . .’’’ along with a mix of classic and newer stories by Clarke. This unabridged audio collection, also produced by Audio Literature in 2001, is available on ten compact discs.

Bibliography and Further Reading

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Sources

Cassada, Jackie, Review of The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke, in Library Journal, Vol. 126, No. 5, March 15, 2001, p. 110.

Clareson, Thomas D., ‘‘The Cosmic Loneliness of Arthur C. Clarke,’’ in Arthur C. Clarke, edited by Joseph D. Olander and Martin Harry Greenberg, Taplinger Publishing Company, 1977, p. 54.

Green, Roland, Review of The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke, in Booklist, January 1, 2001, p. 928.

Review of The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke, in Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2000.

Samuelson, David N., ‘‘Arthur C. Clarke,’’ in Critical Survey of Short Fiction: Authors (A–Dah), edited by Frank N. Magill, Salem Press, 1981, p. 1157.

———, ‘‘Arthur C. Clarke,’’ in Science Fiction Writers, 2nd ed., Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1999, pp. 203, 205.

Sheffield, Charles, The Ganymede Club, Tor, 1995, p. 164.

Further Reading

Alling, Abigail, and Mark Nelson, Life under Glass: The Inside Story of Biosphere 2, Biosphere Press, 1993. This book details the experience of living for two years inside Biosphere 2, a sealed-environment biodome near Tucson, Arizona. In 1991, eight individuals entered the dome, which was designed to function as a self-sufficient ecosystem. Today, Biosphere 2 is part of a broader complex dedicated to ecological research, education, and public engagement.

Beattie, Donald A., Taking Science to the Moon: Lunar Experiments and the Apollo Program, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001. Initially, the Apollo missions aimed solely to win the space race by landing the first human on the moon. However, many NASA scientists advocated for expanding the missions to include lunar scientific research. Beattie, an engineer and former NASA manager from 1963 to 1973, provides a comprehensive overview of the scientific endeavors conducted during the Apollo missions.

Downing, Taylor, and Jeremy Isaacs, Cold War: An Illustrated History, 1945–1991, Little Brown & Company, 1998. This book offers a detailed examination of the Cold War, tracing its origins back to the 1917 Russian Revolution. It features hundreds of photographs and includes special sections on espionage, cinema, and literature.

McAleer, Neil, Arthur C. Clarke: The Authorized Biography, Contemporary Books, 1992. Clarke is celebrated as one of the foremost science fiction writers and visionaries of the twentieth century. For this extensive biography, McAleer interviewed Clarke, his acquaintances, and family, as well as publishers, editors, authors, and others who knew him. The book chronicles Clarke’s life up to 1992 and offers in-depth analyses of all his major novels and several short stories.

Reid, Robin Anne, ed., Arthur C. Clarke: A Critical Companion, Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc., 1997. This anthology of critical essays presents both traditional and alternative interpretations of eight of Clarke’s latest novels, situating them within the broader context of his classic works.

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