Isaac Asimov’s Let’s Get Together: Cold War Suspense and Ethical Dilemmas
We are in the heart of the Cold War—though in Asimov’s vision, this stalemate has endured for a full century. Great powers remain locked in technological competition, each seeking any advantage to achieve global supremacy. Isaac Asimov’s 1957 science fiction short story Let’s Get Together reflects this climate of fear, presenting an unusually dark scenario that departs from his typically optimistic treatment of robotics and technology.
Plot Summary of Let's Get Together
The story unfolds in a future dominated by rivalry between powerful nations. Elias Lynn, chief of the U.S. Bureau of Robotics and Mechanical Men, meets with secret agent Ralph Breckenridge to discuss an alarming intelligence report: their adversaries may have infiltrated the country with ten humanoid robots designed as weapons. These robots carry fragments of a Total Conversion bomb—a devastating device that converts matter entirely into energy. When brought together, these fragments would detonate, destroying everything within range.
Fear of Nuclear War and Technology
The Cold War was marked by fear of nuclear weapons and devastating technology. Every rival might secretly possess terrifying inventions that push the boundaries of destruction.
In Let’s Get Together, Asimov goes beyond the bomb. The Total Conversion weapon represents a new class of threat that could prove even more lethal. With progress comes risk. One mistake, one act of sabotage, might trigger catastrophe. The story highlights the tension between scientific advancement and looming destruction. This story stands apart from Asimov’s typical robot fiction—these machines aren’t bound by his famous Three Laws of Robotics. Instead, they serve as spies-like humans.
Paranoia and Distrust
Much of the suspense arises from questions of trust. When suspicion dominates, paranoia corrodes cooperation and damages fragile alliances.
Lynn himself suspects the robot threat might be nothing more than a paranoia gambit—a psychological tactic designed to cause social disruption and distract American scientists from their research. Yet his superiors overrule him for political reasons, revealing how institutional fears can override rational analysis. Lynn also realizes he’s being positioned as a scapegoat if the crisis goes wrong.
Governments feared espionage, infiltration, and betrayal. “Witch hunts” shaped the political and social climate of the time, where the search for hidden enemies often caused as much damage as actual threats.
The Irony of "Let's Get Together"
The title Let’s Get Together carries multiple layers of dark irony. Unity could mean peace and cooperation—scientists gathering to share knowledge, nations working together for common good. Yet in Asimov’s story, unity becomes weaponised. The robots must physically gather for their fragments to detonate. The very act of bringing brilliant minds together in one place creates the opportunity for mass destruction.
The phrase reflects on the double-edged nature of collaboration in an age of suspicion. Do we stand together to resist enemies, to build something lasting, or do we risk falling together?
Author: Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov wrote “Let’s Get Together” in 1956, and it appeared in the February 1957 issue of Infinity Science Fiction. By the mid-1950s, Asimov was already at the height of his powers as a science fiction writer, celebrated for his Foundation series and his robot stories collected in I, Robot (1950).
This story represents an unusual experiment in Asimov’s career. During the 1950s, Asimov deliberately combined mystery fiction, science fiction, and spy fiction, testing the boundaries of genre conventions. “Let’s Get Together” stands apart from his typical robot fiction in two crucial ways: the robots aren’t bound by his famous Three Laws of Robotics, and the political backdrop isn’t the peaceful unified Earth of his other robot tales but rather an extended Cold War dystopia.
The story was later collected in The Rest of the Robots (1964) and The Complete Robot (1982), cementing its place in Asimov’s robot canon despite its deviation from his usual optimistic vision of robotics. Where most Asimov robot stories explore how technology can serve humanity’s better nature, this tale examines what happens when that same technology becomes weaponised. America during the height of McCarthyism and nuclear brinkmanship.
Wrapping Up
Asimov uses a deceptively simple plot to explore universal themes. He examines how people live under constant threat, how paranoia weakens trust, and how scientific progress reflects human values and fears. By deliberately blending mystery fiction, science fiction, and spy fiction, Asimov created an experimental narrative that captures the multifaceted anxieties of the 1950s.
Let’s Get Together is classic Cold War science fiction. It portrays scientists and officials facing a devastating danger while mistrust spreads between nations and even within institutions.
If you’re interested to explore more classic stories or related analyses, feel free to browse the other posts listed below.
More Works:
Vintage pulp magazine:
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, Vol. 1, No. 1
Disclaimer: The story featured on this page is in the public domain. However, the original authorship, magazine credits, and any associated illustrations remain the property of their respective creators, illustrators and publishers. This material is provided for informational and educational purposes only and may not be used for commercial sale.