All Fandom was Plunged into War

"All Fandom was Plunged into War" describes a major conflagration of fannish disharmony, in which many feuding fans take sides, friends may stop speaking to each other, fen may gafiate, and bad feelings go on for years. This can be due to anything from major feuds such as the exclusion act and the Breendoggle to lawsuits over conventions and libel. Some numerical fandoms were brought to a close because of such battles.

It is never used in a hyperbolic sense, although it is sometimes used ironically.

We don’t know who originated this phrase, but we have traced it as far back as June 1944, when “Raym Pong” (Raym Washington) wrote in Bob Tucker’s FAPA Variety 9:

While reading Robert Bloch's "Beast of Barsac” in WT this after­noon, one of my teeth began to break off. I am sure this will result in grave repercussions and that ALL FANDOM WILL BE PLUNGED INTO WAR.

---

Fanspeak

This is a fanspeak page. Please extend it by adding information about when and by whom it was coined, whether it’s still in use, etc.