Article ID: CBB031001010

The Secret of Seeing Charlie in the Dark: The Starlight Scope, Techno-anxiety, and the Spectral Mediation of the Enemy in the Vietnam War (October 2017)

unapi

The introduction of night vision technology during the Vietnam War transformed how U.S. military men and their communist enemies fought at night. The starlight scope’s seemingly miraculous light-amplifying powers made hitherto unseen targets easier to see. And as sole possessor of this new technology, American soldiers had a profound tactical advantage operating at night. But they also paid a price for this new edge. Burdened by the scope’s weight, untested technology, and extreme secrecy, these servicemen suffered. They endured physical, psychological, and emotional stress unforeseen by the military leaders who pushed for the scope’s development during the Cold War. The new rifle-mounted scope figuratively transformed night into day, and, paradoxically, made it harder for many American soldiers to pull the trigger.

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Authors & Contributors
Hilaker, Harry J.
Bedwell, Don
Norman M. Camp
Parmentola, John A.
Jim Laurier
Ford, Matthew C.
Concepts
Military technology
Vietnam War
Technology and war; technology and the military
Technological innovation
Science and war; science and the military
Weapons
Time Periods
20th century
21st century
20th century, late
19th century
20th century, early
18th century
Places
United States
Iraq
Great Britain
Institutions
United States. Army
United States Air Force (USAF)
Great Britain. Army
Strategic Defense Initiative
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