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Cold War
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Sides
Western Bloc:
United Kingdom
Canada
New Zealand
Australia
France
United States
Japan

West Germany

Eastern Bloc:

China
Soviet Union
North Korea

East Germany

Vietnam
Cuba

Result
Victory Collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991

The Cold War was a period of geographical tension between the powers of the Western Bloc and Eastern Bloc. It was mainly the tension between the United States and Soviet Union via proxy wars such as the Vietnam War and the Invasion of Afghanistan. It was the objectives of the Soviet Union to expand Communism and the United States to contain it and expand democracy.[1] It is referenced throughout the James Bond series. In addition, Ian Fleming created the Cold War references for the basis of some 007 villains and parts of James Bond story-lines.

Despite the name, some members of the Eastern Bloc were in the Americas (Cuba) and some parts of the Western Bloc in East Asia (Japan).

Impacts on the Bond Universe[]

Novels[]

The novels were heavily based on the Cold War and elements of the Cold War were incorporated into some of the novels based on real life events.

  • SMERSH is a villainous organisation based in Russia which was also a real organization in the early Bond novels such as From Russia, With Love. It resembles the KGB, the Soviet Union's secret police.

Films[]

The Bond films from 1995 prior, used the Cold War as backdrop, but they were vaguely based on it.

  • The invasion of Afghanistan is heavily referenced in the final act of The Living Daylights. SMERSH also is mentioned in the film as a defunct organization.
  • The KGB and their agents exist throughout several Bond films such as The Spy Who Loved Me, A View to a Kill, and GoldenEye.
  • However, despite the opposition between the two sides, the likes of General Gogol prefer Cold War to all out nuclear war.
  • Octopussy plays on the fears that rogue elements in east and west would try and use a false flag incident to start all out war.

Inspiration[]

Ian Fleming drew inspiration from observing the evil behaviour of the Russians and the KGB which inspired him about a hero who would protect the helpless and the innocent against evil.[2]

External link[]

References[]

  1. The Cambridge History of the Cold War (3 vol. 2010) online
  2. Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007
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