“The Defenders” January 1953

It has been eight years since war broke out between the Americans and the Soviets. The surface world is radioactive and unlivable. “Leadies” conduct the war up above while all the humans live deep underground, producing war materials nonstop and following news of the progress of the war. They subsist on artificial light and food. The humans must rely on the leadies for information on surface conditions since they themselves cannot visit the surface because of the high levels of radioactivity. Then a non-radioactive leady visits some officials below and they become suspicious. On surfacing, they find the beautiful old world still intact, with all the old animals, plants, etc. The leadies had analyzed the war they had been created to fight by proxy and found it pointless and stopped it. They are caretakers of the world until the Americans and Soviets can transcend war and form a global society based on cooperation and mutual understanding. The Americans immediately try to restart the war but are stopped by the leadies. Ultimately, they join a few Russians in living together in a village, and the story ends on an optimistic note with a glance forward toward all mankind will be able to achieve when they work together instead of against one another.