Description
Battle Stories – Science Fiction
BATTLE STORIES [Serial] Oct., Nov., Dec. 1929, Jan., Feb. 1930
The Conquest of America by Frederick Painton
America Invaded! Grist for the pulp mill. It also smacks of a story that played out over a dozen issues of OPERATOR 5, nearly a decade hence…”The Purple Invasion.” The difference is that this story penned by Frederick Painton appeared in Fawcett’s BATTLE STORIES in 1929 and 1930. Another difference is the invader is part of the dreaded “Yellow Peril.” Where the stories merge is interesting. After World War I, pacifists and separatists clamored for disarmament. Leaving Europe for Europeans, Asians for Asians and America for Americans. The world’s trouble isn’t America’s.
Prior to Pearl Harbor, American industry and military was simmering on low. The main character in THE CONQUEST OF AMERICA is Brock Lansby who sees America’s folly and decries special interest groups who lobby for peace at all costs. America has turned a blind eye toward world conflict as “The Chosen One,” Alexander Wufang and his Communist Armies begin world domination. Brock Lansby barely escapes a captured England to bring news back home.
Like the “Purple Invasion” series, THE CONQUEST OF AMERICA tries to give us a broad picture of a future war. Set in 1952, Painton tries to paint a war with slightly less realism than history will live out. Although Wufang tries a blitzkrieg approach, his battles are still fought with World War I technology. Open cockpit airplanes, zeppelins, mustard gas, and artillery. Most importantly millions of men. As the story belabors, wars are not won by technology, it’s won by men with bayonets and a steely determination. To give Painton his due, he couldn’t have foreseen the advancements of weaponry sitting at his typewriter with nearly a decade to go before the next World War. He tries, and even does a better than average job in military planning on how to invade America.
Not wanting to spoil the story, I’ll end here and hope that you will enjoy this as much as I did while getting it set in type for this edition. Because this original was spread over five issues of BATTLE STORIES, I’ve had to reduce the type to a smaller size than normal. But what you are getting is a full novel length story in less than 110 pages.
- 7×10
- 112 pages
- Reset type
