Alas, Babylon
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Alas, Babylon is a novel by Pat Frank published in 1959. The subject deals with the effects of a nuclear war on a small Florida town.
Its name is derived from Revelation 18:10, which is interpreted and quoted in the book as describing the aftermath of a nuclear attack. In the King James Bible, this passage reads:
- Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is thy judgment come.
Synopsis
Randy Bragg, the protagonist, is a man who dabbles at law and lives a life with little purpose. This changes when his brother, Colonel Mark Bragg, sends him a telegram with the code words "Alas, Babylon"—their private code for disaster. Mark, who is on the staff of the Strategic Air Command (SAC), believes war between the United States and the Soviet Union is imminent. He sends his wife Helen and children Ben Franklin and Peyton to stay with Randy in Fort Repose, Florida.
A U.S. Navy fighter fires a Heat-seeking missile at a Soviet reconnaissance aircraft that same day. The missile goes off course and hits an ammunition depot at Latakia, Syria, resulting in an explosion that may include nuclear devices. This event is the pretext (called in the text a casus belli) for the Soviet Union to launch a premptive nuclear strike against the United States.
Early the following morning, Mark is on duty at SAC headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. He suspects an attack is imminent. He recommends that SAC ask for the authority to use nuclear weapons. Ninety-five seconds later, American radar reports an attack underway. "Thanks for the ninety-five seconds," the SAC commander says to him.
The effects of the war on Fort Repose are varied. Tourists are trapped in their hotels. The local bank manager tries to get instructions from Jacksonville as Jacksonville is destroyed. The local disc jockey nervously reads instructions on the CONELRAD system.
As the effects of the disintegration of society get worse, Randy grows stronger. He organizes his neighbors to provide housing, food, and water for themselves. He organizes the community into self-defense, guides his family, and helps find salt and new supplies of food when they grow short. He fights "highwaymen" who murder residents and assault the local doctor. With the struggle for survival, the institution of racial segregation vanishes. Some in Fort Repose discover faith; others degenerate into drunkenness.
When the Air Force makes contact with Fort Repose again, the community has survived, but at a cost.
Effects of the novel
Alas, Babylon is not widely acclaimed as a piece of literature. It was notable for depicting fallout and radiation as an invisible threat, rather than a roaming "cloud of death" as in other novels such as On the Beach. Its theme was "You can survive if you are ready and willing to adapt." Civil Defense officials used the book to guide local officials in ordering supplies.Template:Fact
Alas, Babylon is considered by some to be an inspiration for John Titor's claim of time travel and description of nuclear war in the 2010s.
Adaptations
An adaptation of Alas, Babylon [1] was broadcast on April 3, 1960 as the 131st episode of the Playhouse 90 dramatic television series.