Cold War Images and the Enemies of Star Trek

To understand how Star Trek ties into the imagery of the Cold War and the politics of the time, one must know a little about the enemies of the genre and their place in the fiction of the era. This section is devoted to explaining, in a small way, the basics of the cultures of the enemies, the Romulans and the Klingons.

The Romulan Star Empire lies between the Klingon Empire and the United Federation of Planets. This position is a tenuous one, and has caused much hardship on the people of the Empire in the times that the Klingons and the Federation were at war.

The governmental structure of the Romulan Star Empire is a tri-cameral system, with nearly equal power divided among the following branches: the praetorate, the Senate, and the Tal Shi'ar. Each of these has a specific duty in the Empire and each serves as a check and balance on the others to insure that no one else has more power than the others think they should have.

The hereditary Praetorate is the judicial branch of the Empire. They write and enforce the laws and also control the Star Navy, the military arm of the Empire. While the office is life-long, people have been removed from office for non-compliance with the Empire and other various crimes. Such people usually do not live very long after removal from office, if at all.

The Senate is in charge of legislating the laws of the Empire and making sure that the people pay their taxes. This office is hereditary as well, and also carries a life-long term.

The Tal Shi'ar is the intelligence gathering arm of the Empire and is a very thorough organization, considered to be the best in the galaxy by most. They are ruthless in their loyalty to the Empire and have ways of finding out information that would impress most of the known galactic governments. This branch of government is generally given free rein in their work, as the citizens of the Empire do not wish to be arrested for trumped up charges of treason for their interference.

The Romulan Star Empire is an aggressive enemy of the United Federation of Planets. Their first contact was when a Starfleet exploration vessel entered their system, setting off a perimeter alarm of satellites 1. This frightened the peoples of the twin planets, evoking memories of the pirates that had originally caused them to break away from their mother-world of Vulcan. This ship named the planets Romulus and Remus, after the two Roman Children that were raised by wolves, although Romulus is a misspelling of Romus 2, 3.

The second encounter was no better, and by that time the Romulans had re-established space travel, and launched a full-scale attack on the invaders. This led to an all-out war, with the Romulans soon discovering the uses of warp drives from destroyed Starfleet ships and adapting the technology for their own ships.

This war ended when the United Federation of Planets took the advice of the Vulcan Ambassador, by the name of Sarek, to end the war and close the door on them 4. The treaty to end the war was the only one in Federation history to be completed solely by data transmission, and the Federation never got a glimpse of a live Romulan, only dead and vacuum-damaged ones. This peace treaty, named The Treaty of Alpha Trianguli 5, established the Romulan Neutral Zone, and has lasted intact since the signing. While there were breaches in the Zone, none of them were sufficient to lead to a war between the Romulan Star Empire and the United Federation of Planets.

Currently, Ambassador Spock is addressing a movement in the Empire to return to the Vulcan philosophy and way of life. This movement was set back by a Senator Pardek and his actions with the Praetorate, but continues to be an underground revolution. While the initial response to this is unclear, the Federation hopes to make contact with this movement again in the future 6.

In the past seventy years, the Romulan Empire and the Klingon Empire have had two major wars, with the Klingons winning the first 7. This war led to the development of an economic dependence on the Klingons for weapons and ships and led to an economic depression in the Romulan Empire. This action led to a very strong dislike for Klingons and their goods, since it is commonly stated that the lowest bidder gets the market in Klingons arms deals 8. Whether this is true is up to the reader, but evidence tends to support that Klingon weapons and ships are prone to disaster.

The second war between the Romulans and the Klingons ended in the Romulan's favor, ending the economic dependence on Klingon technology and leading to a seventy year isolationist period where the Empire tried to re-coup its loses from the two wars. Currently the two Empires are at an uneasy peace, as the Klingons are now an ally of the Federation, due to the destruction of Praxis's moon and the peace treaty of Khitomer that followed 9. The Romulan Empire and the Federation are also at an uneasy period of peace, although it is unknown how long this truce will last.

The Klingon Empire has a long tradition of warfare. They have traditionally resolved their problems in battle and dealt with all their enemies in the same way: submit or perish. This policy was adapted against the United Federation of Planets but was unable to resolve in the way the Klingons had expected. A delegation of one person was sent to the Klingon homeworld in an effort to spread peace between the two governments, but this ended in failure when the Ambassador was removed from office while in transit and was told to return to Earth. This was prior to the first of the Federation Babel Conferences 10. Later, the Klingon Empire and the Federation would establish a border and a 'neutral zone' of sorts so that each side could develop and grow in size.

The government of the Empire is based on a High Council, which rules with an iron fist. This council is in charge of all aspects of the government, including the military and the Imperial Intelligence. The council members are headed by the Emperor, though his position is more honorary than most believe. The members of the council are elected from the most prominent families in the Empire, and the term is life-long.

The Imperial Intelligence branch of the Empire is in charge of gathering intelligence for the Empire and insuring that each member remains loyal. Each ship has a central room aboard that is the center for the I.I. Agent aboard, where all conversations and actions are monitored and recorded for later review. If an action or conversation appears to be against the Empire or detrimental in any way, that person is reprimanded and does not become a repeat offender under threat of death.

As the history of the culture and the Empire is of resolving problems through combat, it is no surprise that the military arm of the government is given as large a portion of the monies as they are. The traditional way to advance in rank is to kill your most immediate superior and keep from getting killed in the process.

The United Federation of Planets is the largest galactic government known, and includes Earth, Vulcan and a large number of other worlds as members. Its headquarters are in San Francisco on Earth, placed there due to Earth's initiation of the idea. The Federation is a democratic/representative type of government similar in structure to the United Nations. Each member of the Federation sends a delegate to the Federation council and each has an active voice in the proceedings. It is bordered by the Romulan Star Empire, the Klingon Empire and is enclosed within the Ferengi Sphere of Influence (their trading area).

The Federation Council is the legislative and judicial branch of the Federation government. Each planet represented here is considered an equal member of the others, although there are some offices and committees that have permanent members and chairs. Each planetary delegate is entitled to one vote per issue, regardless of the size of the planet or the amount of influence it wields in the Federation.

Starfleet, the military and exploratory arm of the Federation, is a military type of organization, though not purely military in structure. They have an academy on Earth, and encourage the use of peace as a way of meeting new races and exploring the universe. Starfleet has a large following among the explorers of the Federation, in that Starfleet has, discovered many of the homeworlds of the members of the Federation and has brought peace to mush of the galaxy.

The Babel Conferences were begun in an effort to establish the most optimal level of peace among the various planets and races of the Federation and to address the problems of the Klingon and Romulan Empires. These talks are currently in limbo, as the Klingon Empire is an ally and the Romulans are just returning to activity outside their Empire's boundaries. The first recorded instance of these conferences was in 2267 with the consideration of Coridan to the Federation 11,12.

Mostly, the allies of the Federation are members of the organization, although some consider themselves to be neutral in standing. These members are most often on the fringes of the Federation and have ties to either the Klingon or Romulan governments as well.

Currently, the Federation is at peace with the Klingons and gives them aid as needed since the explosion of the moon of Praxis is still causing problems in the area of food growth a.d economic stability 13. The Romulans are quiet, although on the rise in activity. The peace treaty made with them is still in effect, and war has not been called, but they tend to make Starfleet nervous with their ventures into Federation space.

The Chinese, like their science-fiction counter parts the Romulans, are seen as a secretive and xenophobic people, strange in their ways and non-welcoming to outsiders 14. Their governmental structure is three-fold, and they base their actions on a system of honor unique to the Eastern world. These similarities make the ties between the two cultures, one real and one fictitious, easily seen.

The Sino-Soviet Alliance of 1949, which allied the Soviets and the Chinese in defense against Japan and any of her allies 15 can be compared to the alliance between the Romulans and the Klingons. Both the Klingons and the Soviets extended military aid the other power (the Romulans and the Chinese) which had to be paid for in full, and both treaties were terminated prematurely, the Sino-Soviet treaty with the death of Stalin on 1953 16 and the Romulan-Klingon treaty in a war. Each treaty also bound the weaker government to the stronger in an unwanted and, at times, uncomfortable way. The Sino-Soviet pact was structured so that China had to pay for all aid received and this led to a distaste for Soviet-style Communism, especially after the de-Stalinization of the Soviet society and a perceived weakness to the West 17. Later, after Stalin's death, the Chinese and the Soviets became bitter enemies, each fighting to become the world leader in the Communist sphere, much like the Klingons and Romulans after the cessation of the treaty became enemies and had little official contact.

In closing, the Chinese and the Romulans have secrecy and xenophobia in common, as well as a non-equal alliance with an ally that becomes a hated foe. Each rises above unfair treatment to become a powerful foe to their enemies.

Bibliography

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Blair, Karin, Meaning in Star Trek. Chambersburg, PS: Anima Books, c1977.

Brands, H.W., The Devil We Knew: Americans and the Cold War. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993.

Duane, Diane, The Romulan Way. New York: Pocket Books, 1987.

Ford, John M., The Final Reflection. Boston: Gregg Press, 1985.

Gibberman, Susan R., Star Trek: an annotated guide to resources on the development, the phenomenon, the people, the television series, the films, the novels, and the recordings. Jefferson, NY: McFarland & Co., c1991.

Goulding, Jay, Empire, Aliens, and Conquest: a critique of American ideology in Star Trek and other science fiction adventures. Toronto: Sisyphus Press, 1985.

Inglis, Fred, The Cruel Peace. New York: BasicBooks, c1991.

Morton, W. Scott, China: Its History and Culture. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1980.

Naylor, Thomas H., The Cold War Legacy. Lexington, Mass: Lexington Books, 1991.

Okuda, Michael and Denise Okuda. Star Trek Chronology: The History of the Future. New York, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1993.

Rogin, Micheal Paul, "Ronald Reagan", The Movie and other episodes in political demonology. Berkeley: University of California Press, c1987.

Whitfield, Stephen E., The Culture of the Cold War. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, c1991.

Whitfield, Stephen E., The Making of Star Trek [by] Stephen Whitfield [and] Gene Roddenberry. New York: Ballantine Books, 1968.

Films and Television Episodes

1 Diane Duane, The Romulan Way. (New York: Pocket Books, 1987), page 165.

2 Diane Duane, The Romulan Way. (New York: Pocket Books, 1987), page 190-191.

3 Diane Duane, The Romulan Way. (New York: Pocket Books, 1987), page 190-191.

4 Diane Duane, The Romulan Way. (New York: Pocket Books, 1987), page 194-195.

5 Diane Duane, The Romulan Way. (New York: Pocket Books, 1987), page 195.

6 Episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation - "Unification (Parts I and II)".

7 Diane Duane, The Romulan Way. (New York: Pocket Books, 1987),page 196.

8 Diane Duane, The Romulan Way. (New York: Pocket Books, 1987), page 197.

9 "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country." Film.

10 John M. Ford, The Final Reflection. (Boston: Gregg Press, 1985), page 238.

11 Star Trek "Journey to Babel". Original Series.

12 Okuda, Michael and Denise Okuda. Star Trek Chronology: The History of the Future. (New York, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1993), page 56.

13 "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country". Film.

14 Stephen E. Whitfield, The Culture of the Cold War. (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, c1991), page 160-162.

15 W. Scott Morton, China: Its History and Culture. ( New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1980), page 211-212.

16 W. Scott Morton, China: Its History and Culture. (New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1980), page 212.

17 W. Scott Morton, China: Its History and Culture. (New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1980), page 212.