It started with the Cold War—the atmosphere of distrust and rivalry that developed after World War II between the United States and the Soviet Union (now Russia). Competition between the two superpowers to develop the most technologically advanced weapons was intense. Public concern worsened during the early 1960s, as each side feared that the other country would attack with nuclear weapons.

Then, in 1963, there was the “unsolved mystery” of President Kennedy’s assassination. The nagging belief that he was the victim of a conspiracy suggested that there was more going on behind the headlines than Americans had previously imagined.

These political events brought the enigmatic profession of spying out from undercover and into the public’s consciousness. But real-life stories of espionage that people read in the newspaper were grim and downright frightening. Until James Bond came along…

Bondmania! Sorry About That, Chief! Yeah, Baby!

Donna R. Braden, Lead Experience Developer
Jeanine Head Miller, Curator of Domestic Life, Leisure & Entertainment