Herman Kahn: the real Dr. Strangelove

Herman Kahn

It is the birthday of futurist Herman Kahn (1922), whose book On Thermonuclear War (1960) made the case during the Cold War that a policy of massive nuclear retaliation against the Soviet Union was sheer lunacy. It was a controversial assertion at a time with tensions between the world's great superpowers were at an all time high. Kahn suggested that the policy of the Eisenhower administration invited nuclear attack because it gave the Soviets an incentive to aim missiles at U.S. bomber bases in advance of any conventional military operation.

The Soviet Union held the advantage of sheer number of soldiers at that time and U.S. officials thought that the only way to prevent Soviet aggression was to threaten a nuclear attack in response.

Kahn said that nuclear war was feasible and winnable. He argued that life would go on after such a war, whether a few major cities were destroyed or hundreds of millions of people died. He noted that in 14th century Europe life continued after the bubonic plague killed as many as 200 million people. Kahn argued that no matter how bad the devastation was survivors would "not envy the dead."

If you believed otherwise, Kahn said, then deterrence was unnecessary. If Americans weren't willing to push the button, then they ought not to be talking about attacking the Soviets, he said. For the idea to work, Soviets had to believe that the United States could not only survive a nuclear attack but that it could strike back. That belief in a "second strike" capability was paramount in convincing Soviet leaders that they would be destroyed if they attacked the United States, Kahn said.

Kahn incurred the anger of some people because he was perfectly willing to articulate what might happen if there were to be thermonuclear war, and what the world might look like when it was over. Some thinkers criticized Kahn for his ideas, saying that his suggesting that a nuclear war was winnable make it more likely that one would occur. However, prominent pacifists such as Bertrand Russell praised Kahn, saying his ideas made a strong case for disarmament.

Kahn was the inspiration for the title character in Stanley Kubrick's 1954 black comedy film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.

Thackeray satirized English aristocracy

William Makepeace Thackeray

It is the birthday of English satirist William Makepeace Thackeray (1811), whose satirical novels Vanity Fair and The Luck of Barry Lyndon brought him fame and fortune. At the height of his popularity, he was considered second only to Charles Dickens in writing talent. Though he receives less attention today, Vanity Fair remains on many college reading lists.

Both books poke fun at the English aristocracy in the 19th century, and both have been adapted for film several times in the 20th century. It was the English aristocracy who were most intrigued by Thackeray's work, a factor that some critics say led to his losing that sharp wit in his later works. Thackeray was the toast of English society and often sought as a speaker.

Thackeray was born in Calcutta to a writer for the East India Company and the daughter of a writer for the East India Company. He was sent back to England at the age of four for education. He did not like the boarding schools he attended and satirized them in some of his writings. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge but didn't graduate, choosing instead to travel in Europe. When he returned to England, he tried studying law but quit that as well.

At age 21 he received an inheritance but frittered much of it away gambling and investing in two newspapers that eventually failed. He also lost considerable sums when two Indian banks failed. Forced to work for a living, Thackeray turned to writing. Most of his work was published by Fraser's Magazine. Vanity Fair and The Luck of Barry Lyndon were both serialized in the publication.

Vanity Fair, which concerns the exploits of  Becky Sharp, a scheming social climber who manipulates those around her to achieve financial security and position, drew praise from critics during Thackeray's lifetime. He made two trips to America, where he was well received. The story has been adapted for movies, television and radio for generations, most recently as a 2004 film starring Reese Witherspoon.

The Luck of Barry Lyndon tells the story of an impoverished Irish gentleman who tries to become a member of the English aristocracy. After a series of hilarious misfortunes in Europe, he stumbles into a favorable marriage and remakes himself into a fashionable country squire, only to later be ruined again. Director Stanley Kubrick adapted the book into a film in 1975.

Handel became wealthy as a composer

It is the birthday of German-British composer George Friederich Handel (1685), who is considered one of the greatest composers ever. He wrote operas, organ concertos, anthems and oratorios. He may be best known for his Messiah (1742) but his extensive body of work includes 42 operas, 29 oratorios and more than 120 smaller pieces. He was well regarded in his lifetime and became very wealthy. He was born in Germany and trained there and in Italy until his late 20s when he went to London. This piece, Sarabande, was used in the soundtrack of the 1975 Stanley Kubrick film Barry Lyndon.