Tom Clancy's Genius
The Cold War and post Cold War eras have brought with them many interesting aspects. New technologies initially meant for mass destruction filter down into the civilian world, making current lives easier. One example of this is the anti-lock braking systems of today's cars. Originally designed to slow fighter-planes on landing without skidding, these systems make it safer for parents to take their children on vacation. One less noted advancement the eras brought is a considerable amount of exciting and forewarning fiction. While most authors chose to warn of nuclear and post nuclear holocaust, one significant author chose a different approach. Tom Clancy chose to write of conventional warfare and sometimes unconventional enemies. Between his novel Red Storm Rising and Debt of Honor, Tom Clancy makes evident the changing face of America's enemies and threats, while staying true to issues that keep people interested in his books. Published in 1986, Red Storm Rising is Tom Clancy's second novel dealing with the former Soviet Union as a potential enemy. This was a time when America's finest tank and infantry units went on exercises in Germany fully armed with the expectation that the Russians could attack them at any time. Th
Of course, throughout the Cold War the many themes of the U.S.S.R. attacking the U.S are presented by various authors. All of these had the same result: nuclear holocaust. One exception is that Red Storm Rising is the first to present it (theme of U.S.S.R. attacking the U.S.) in a non-nuclear scenario. This is very intriguing to examine the possibilities which include all the new technological weapons in the American and Soviet arsenals. Red Storm Rising captivates audiences with its techno-wizardry of smart bombs and satellite guided cruise missles. "It was like an arcade game. Big, slow-moving blips denoted the aircraft. Smaller, quicker blips were the Mach-2 missiles (Clancy 178)." This was seen by a radar operator who was under attack during Red Storm Rising. The novel is complete with Clancy's usual well-timed and interesting plot structure. As one coincidental event leads to another, the antagonist of the story, Mr Yamata, realizes his chance to pay back the debt of honor he has to the U.S. Yamata's family was dishonored by committing suicide on the island of Saipan rather than being captured by the U.S. during World War II. This historical fact brings the plot to life as the reader tends to wonder when this will happen. Debt of Honor also brings about the idea that several enemies might unite in order to achieve a common goal. The goal happens to be the defeat of the United States by engineering a computer related crash of the entire economic system of the U.S. This thought alone, of a computer crash, has scared many writers and businesspeople who depend on computers for work. The common computer crash has even reached home to touch children and adults alike when the computer ceases to perfom as expected and even freezes up. The particular crash that disables the economy is quite commonly called a virus. Viruses effect Americans almost everyday in ways they might not even recognize. One of the most publicized viruses
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Approximate Word count = 1315
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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