Interlude: The Forever War: Lit Circle Letter 1 + 2

The Forever War by Joe Haldeman is a clear and simple illusion to the author's experiences concerning the Vietnam War. Even though it is thinly veiled in an epic science fiction novel, the themes it presents are very concise and straightforward. Even the title is a clear indicator: Vietnam was America's longest war, lasting over ten years.

There are two many aspects of the book that are pure reflections on its real life base. For one, the enemies are named Taurans, which resemble the convenient alien cannon fodder. Many of them appear weak to the protagonists, and are often harmless unless provoked. There is a obvious allusion to the slaughtering of innocent civilians during the Vietnam War. As the enemy is composed of militia, there is no clear distinction of friend or foe, rendering all equally hostile, and therefore targets.

Perhaps the biggest indicator is the protagonist, William Mandela. Mandela is a near anagram of the author's last name, Haldeman. The name of Williams's love interest, Marygay Potter, is nearly identical to Haldeman's wife's maiden name.

As the soldiers experience training in the strange and unfamiliar environment of Charon, their fears are captured in the dense emotions found in the deaths of their fellow trainees. There is also a strong stab at drug use, which is encouraged among the soldiers.

The marines are also cohabital amongst themselves, the company being composed of both men and women. They often bunk together. This could be an attempt to sway readers away from the obvious allusion of the Vietnam war, or it could be a representation of the rape of women by American soldiers.

The first battle takes place in a jungle setting, similar to that of the dense foliage found in Vietnam. There is obvious discussion of limited field of vision, fog of war, and the possibility of the enemy hiding anywhere. The battles that do take place are quick and confusing, often driving the men past their breaking point. They are ambushed by unseen foes and fall prey to panic and anger. Many die quickly, referencing the 58,193 American casualties of Vietnam.

During the battle, the soldiers have their implemented subconscious rage triggered by their commander, driving them into a mad frenzy of killing. It is interesting to note that more than ninety percent of soldiers in Vietnam were willing to fire, as opposed to the mere fifteen percent in World War One. Operant conditioning much?

As the soldiers return from their nightmare, they are greeted by a strange and unfamiliar world of hostility. Although they are honored by their actions, they struggle to fit into a society that is foreign and soulless. In the story, this is a world of poverty, high unemployment rates, constant violence, and encouraged homosexuality. This reflects upon the alienation veterans of the Vietnam War experienced upon return to an anti-war America.

There is also a deep detailing of the government run rationing of calories, which have replaced money as the standard currency. It is unclear whether this references the American debt after Vietnam, which totaled $111 billion ($686 billion in 2008 dollars).

There is also unreferenced hinting of post traumatic disorders of the veterans, totaling 830,000 in Vietnam. The protagonists use the money they earned in the war on desperate pleasures, spending without care. Many turn to hedonism for comfort. As they get separated, each feels an irreplaceable loss. They lose the last remaining connections to their past.

Many veterans in the novel reenlist to escape the unknown world they have returned to, even though they realize that the military is a soulless construct. They value that their lives in the military and the sudden prospect of death is better than living in a strange and unfamiliar home. They subconsciously choose possible death because there is no other alternative to the meaningless lives they would otherwise live.

On an interesting side note, The Forever War is often compared to Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers. Starship Troopers is often seen as pro-military, while The Forever War is seen as anti-war. The two science fiction novels share a similar aspect of being on opposite sides of the same coin. Both were written in the time span of the Vietnam War.