Watchmen was first published in 1986 – 87, when the Cold War was coming to its final years. The story deals with a heavy theme of a doomsday clock, a metaphorical representation of nuclear war. The superpowers of the world on the brink of World War III were ready for nuclear war and ready to fight.
Many small, but important, elements of the story include actual historical events, such as the Russia-Afghan relations, Korean nuclear testing, etc. These events were freighting at the time, it meant certain destruction and nuclear fear.
Whether Dr. Manhattan represents the fear of nuclear testing consequences, one thing remains clear; he was god-like being who was American. America now had the advantage over the Soviet Union, and this being was a walking nuclear bomb.
Today, there are better nuclear restriction and an overall global nuclear safety. Will Watchmen’s younger fans still understand the importance of the Cold War? You can’t have the Watchmen without the Cold War.
The Vietnam War appears in the Comedian and Dr. Manhattans’ flashbacks. They were employed by the government to fight in the war. From the Watchmen trailer we clearly see Dr. Manhattan and the Comedian fighting Vietcong rebels in the jungle. The scenes are clear panel-inspired events, and almost reminiscent to movies like Platoon and Apocalypse Now.
The Vietnam War was a major part of the Cold War era, but is it still powerful today? Another major player was the fear of communism.
People were being persecuted in fear that they would implement their ways in the American way of life. In the graphic novel, Dr. Manhattan was prosecuted for being radioactive, another possible reference to communist witch-hunts.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the world has been more understanding of communism and lost the fear of a communist world.
The question is whether the movie will still use all of these Cold War events and themes. Can today’s post 9-11 world see the deeper meaning of Watchmen? Will the younger viewers understand why Dr. Manhattan had to win the Vietnam War? Will movie goers understand why Nixon is still president? However the fan, critic, and viewer respond, Watchmen only works in a pre 1989 world, where fear of nuclear war was at the heart of citizens around the world. What do you think? Yay or Nay?
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