Esta ideia é usada em Império do Sol por Andrew Weiner, que até onde Vejo que só foi publicado na antologia de Harlan Ellison, Again, Dangerous Visions e na própria antologia de Weiner, Distant Signals and Other Stories. A história começa:
Earth, year 1990, falls victim to the history-bending project of the Sirius Syndicate. Travelers in time establish a network of communication satellites around the globe, and open the Martian War. Continuous 'Martian' broadcasters promise destruction, total war, liquidation, war without limits, to the terrified Earth populace. TV channels are jammed with further images of death. The United Nations is revived, as the World Draft Board. Military elements seize control, promising "the War of all Wars." A space armada is to be constructed. The first troop draft is announced; twenty millions. Draft rioting in China is vigorously suppressed
A cena relevante é:
Kaheris weaves his way through the dead and up to the summit of the hill, adrenalin driving him on, blind to his terror. The hill must be taken. Sure. One of the enemy sprang from a dug-out. Tossing aside an empty gun, it came at him with a knife. Physically, it looked human.
It screamed "Dirty Mart" as Kaheris shot it, through the head. A trick? He was beyond thinking. Nausea welled up. He sank to his knees.
Minha única reserva é que o Empire of the Sun está longe de ser a história simples de SF. É altamente estilizado (como muitas das histórias de Visões Perigosas) e significava uma condenação de toda a guerra. Se esta é a história, não posso deixar de sentir que você se lembraria de como era incomum.