During the Cold War era, Americans watched as their country entered into yet another period of violence, following the completion of the first and second world wars. The country began producing nuclear weaponry, increasing its military and influencing the political and economic ideals of European countries, all in an attempt to combat the Soviet Union. In his short story, Phillip K. Dick draws from this historical context of the late 1940’s to the early 1950’s in America to write about a future society ruined by the potential effects. In his book, the author uses a group of space ship crewmembers and their voyage to a strange planet to describe the potential outcome of the United States. He attempts to show the negative impact that the Cold War will have on the country, leading to its demise as a lifeless, and useless nation ruined by violence, with nothing left but weapons of mass destruction.