The Place Where Chicago Was

"The Place Where Chicago Was" by Jim Harmon is a science fiction story from the early 1960s that explores a future where war has been eliminated through technology that forces peace upon people, inadvertently generating new hardships and strange social orders. The story follows Abe Danniels, who journeys to what was once Chicago, now a desolate landscape, in a world where pacifism is enforced. He encounters Julie, whose strong views challenge Abe, and they join a group called the Wolf Pack, people who oppose the enforced pacifism. Navigating their harsh world, they grapple with complex questions about life, death, and the very nature of violence, discussing deep philosophical and ethical quandaries, while Danniels confronts his identity as a "Jonah," a war outcast, as he seeks to resolve a food shortage resulting from old conflicts and societal changes. This amalgam of adventure and philosophical exploration culminates in a dramatic confrontation where characters face their beliefs about violence, survival, and the fate of mankind.