'AMERIKAN' FICTION

I am puzzled by the furor over the mini-series "Amerika." "Amerika" is fiction, a made-up story, but the protests and demonstrations against it might almost lead one to believe an actual Soviet occupation is about to occur.

The explanation is that people cannot distinguish between television and reality (for example, supermarket tabloids cover "Dallas" and "Dynasty" characters as if they were real people). If this is so, that is something to protest, and vigorously.

But in this supposedly free country, with freedom of speech constitutionally protected, I find the apparent fear of fiction much more threatening than any actual work of fiction might be. RUTH M. BRUNS Rockville

"Amerika," based on the premise that the Soviet Union occupies the United States in the 1980s without effective military opposition, is an insult to all of us military men and women.

It occurs to me that any treatment of the issue of defending democracy in the United States that rests on the premise that 3 1/2 million U.S. active and reserve military men and women, not to mention 29 million veterans, surrendered their nation without a fight is a gratuitous insult to their courage and patriotism, as well as to the the integrity and leadership of the senior officers of the armed services.

While I do not oppose the broadcast of this wholly incredible piece of fiction, I hope that other veterans will join me in calling attention to the fact that the U.S. armed services make the United States the strongest and most secure nation in the world today and for the foreseeable future. Our problem is to defend this republic wisely with great confidence in our strengths, not to react foolishly to the imaginary fear that "Amerika" attempts to exploit. GENE R. La ROCQUE Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Director, Center for Defense Information Washington

Invariably "Amerika" is compared with "The Day After," a gripping portrayal of the United States following a nuclear holocaust.

Seldom mentioned is the fact that "The Day After" was, at best, an extremely mediocre melodrama. Fortunately, it was only two hours long. DAVID M. SIEGLER Alexandria

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