This story by Ray Bradbury is thought to be an allegory of the nuclear arms race. This took place from 1947 to 1991 during the “Cold War” between the United States and Russia. The “Mandarins” who began the Cold War were Harry S. Truman and Joseph Stalin. One wonders if the first Mandarin’s daughter alludes to Truman’s wife Bess. Truman once said he never made an important decision without first seeking her thoughts. Moreover, Bess edited many of his speeches. She is known to have made changes to his famous speech outlining the Truman Doctrine, which started it all.
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