MGSGnosis: Metal Gear and the Cold War

I wrote a couple of video scripts awhile back for a Youtube channel called "Super Review" when they asked me to collaborate with them on one of their videos. The videos can be found here
Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du1NYpn9Yfw
Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beo8yJttE_E

Below is an edited and shortend version of what I wrote with sources added. The videos were intended to serve as an introduction to Cold War themes for relatively new players and young players who are not well versed in that part of history. Many long-time MGS fans are already familar with alot of this material.
---
On the subject of the Cold War,one of Kojima’s influences is the iconic “007” film series,based on the novels by Ian Flemming – Flemming at one point worked as a Naval intelligence officer,and was inspired by the exploits of former MI6 and British Secret Intel Operative Conrad O’Brien-ffrench –
Another Cold War film that Kojima has cited as an influence is Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 masterpiece “North By Northwest” – Just as the 007 film “Dr. No” is considered to be the first film to acknowledge the British MI6,”North By Northwest was the first Hollywood film to make direct reference to the American CIA.
Apart from these and other film influences,Kojima is well-versed on the historical topics in his games.Several real-life aspects of the Cold War are discussed at length in the Metal Gear Solid series.The nuclear arms race,space race,CIA/KGB espionage,the Cuban Missile Crisis,the theory of nuclear deterrence,and so on.
While these themes are primarily explored in the series prequels (MGS3,Portable Ops,and Peace Walker), they are also commented on to a lesser extent in the other games in the series.Kojima understands the importance of the Cold War,and the effect that it continues to have on our world today – Many political ideologies,military and civilian technologies, space exploration, a prototype of the internet,and other modern communications were born during this era.
During the conflict between the Soviet Union and Afghanistan in the late 1970’s, the United States commenced the infamous “Operation Cyclone” in which the CIA funded and trained a group of Islamic militants. After the Soviets began to withdraw from Afghanistan in the 1980’s,the U.S. ceased all funding and support to the region – Some historians suspect that this may have led to many conflicts in the middle-east (in the MGS world,the character ‘Revolver Ocelot’ was involved in the Soviet/Afghan conflict)
Many of the western intelligence agencies referenced in the MGS series, including the Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, as well as the U.S. Defense Department, which created DARPA, were formed during the first two decades of the Cold War era, between 1947 and 1961. These various agencies and others often play a role in the back-story of many characters in the Metal Gear universe.
A lot of the technologies used in the Metal Gear series were created during this time period. A lot of research and experimentation in artificial intelligence, network computing, and robotics was conducted throughout the 1960’s and 70’s.
The series also spends a lot of time discussing nuclear deterrence theory. The concept of Mutual Assured Destruction came to prominence in 1962 after the Cuban Missile Crisis. By 1964, the U.S., Russia, United Kingdom, France, and China, all had access to nuclear weapons.
The absurdity of nuclear weapons is one f the main themes of Stanley Kubrick’s Cold War comedy film Dr Strangelove, which was an influence on Kojima, and has been referenced by name many times in the MGS series. Dr Strangelove has the distinction of being the only comedy film about nuclear warfare. The Metal Gear Solid series is also known for inserting humor in serious situations.
In MGSV The Phanom Pain, Big Boss has to travel to Afghanistan to rescue his MSF partner Kaz, while encountering Soviet militants during the 1980’s occupation. This mission bears some resemblance to the movie Rambo 3, a politically driven 1980’s action film with a strong anti-communist message.
Other military conflicts, including the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Korean War, the Nicaragua Revolution, Mozambique War of Independence, and the Liberian Civil War are highlighted in the games as well.
Unfortunately, a lot of the historical information presented in the MGS series (as well as the games fictional backstory) goes unnoticed by many players,because a lot of it is featured in the optional CODEC calls that players can access throughout the game

Sources

Kojima’s thoughts on 007 - http://www.metalgearsolid.net/features/hideo-kojima-at-the-movies-007

Kojima on North by Northwest http://www.metalgearsolid.net/features/hideo-kojima-at-the-movies-hitchcock-films

Cold War http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_War

Operation Cyclone http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Cyclone

Revolver Ocelot http://metalgear.wikia.com/wiki/Revolver_Ocelot

MGS agencies http://metalgear.wikia.com/wiki/Intelligence_agencies

MGSV Era http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/11/metal-gear-solid-must-reflect-the-era-in-which-its-made-kojima/

Cold War impact on science and technology http://www.studythepast.com/vbprojects/cold_war_science_and_technology.htm

Conflicts 1947 - 1991 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conflicts_related_to_the_Cold_War