Just edited this with some other memories of the story…

Years ago I read a science fiction short story — that took the form of a critique of a thesis (sort of like a “Screwtape Letter” — except from an academic critiquing a student). I can’t remember who wrote it — but it was in a book of short stories put out by Analog (in the early-to-mid 70s).

The short-story/letter critiqued a young academic’s thesis that there was a great world war that took place in the middle of the 20th century (since the great nuclear wars destroyed most all records). The thesis of the young academic was that the surviving writings accurately portrayed a war between the axis nations and the allied nations.

The letter writer tears the thesis apart using the techniques of the Higher Critics the 19th Century (biblical criticism). Even the names show the mythic nature of the “great war”.

Adolf means “wolf-prince” who sweeps down on the helpless sheep-like nations of Poland and Czechoslavakia.

Chamberlain is merely a chamber servant who is replaced by the stalwart Church-on-a-hill.

The leaders of the United States are The Velvet Rose (Roosevelt just a revisit of England’s use of “Roses” as in War of the Roses) and Secretary of State Hull — while the Allied forces are led by Eisenhower (or, in German Iron-hewer). Even the leader of the Pacific forces is General MacArthur, which means “Son of Arthur” — again reminiscent of the English legendary warrior King Arthur Pendragon.

The Normandy Invasion is just a fanciful reversal of the Norman Conquest in 1066 and so on…

Oh, how I wish I could lay my hands on that short-story! There was much more details and frankly, I’m surprised I remember this much — I was a teenager when I read it!