The failed British invasion of Suez in 1957 came to represent the end of Britain's reign of military, commercial and imperial dominance in the world. British Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden resigned following this humiliating defeat; shortly thereafter, he traveled to Jamaica to visit the home of James Bond novelist Ian Fleming (Winder, 135). A few months later, Fleming wrote what is perhaps his most acclaimed novel, From Russia with Love, in which a British spy in the Middle East steals a device from the Soviets for use by British intelligence. This seems like a clear response to Suez, especially considering the timing of Eden's visit. This novel is just one example of how Fleming, an aristocrat of the pre-war order, responds to Britain's loss of prestige in the Cold War era. Through analysis of character, setting and villain portrayal, this article will show that Fleming's James Bond indeed represents a significant literary effort to enable Britain to cope with its diminished role in the post-imperial Cold War. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Ian Fleming transforms James Bond into a distinctly and exemplary British character, starting with his name. The word bond suggests that the spy was tied or connected to something. His identification number, 007, was how Elizabeth I's personal spy signed her letters; the zeros represented that he was the queen's eyes, and the seven was for luck (On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 19). Bond is therefore bound to a code of honor and expected to act as the loyal eyes of Britain. With his Elizabethan reference Fleming evokes a British golden age, an age that produced excellent literature and marked the beginning of England's rise to become the world's first superpower (Collinson). James Bond represents that era as he travels to former British colonies and acts as a significant factor in the Cold War. Bond's relationship to England's past is important, as Fleming, himself tired enough of England to move to Jamaica, is probably not promoting a call to reinvigorate the empire, but rather offering an entertaining fantasy, an escape for the British to relive what cannot be (Winder, 14). Bond's imperialist attitude and global exploits are also reminiscent of the Britain of the past. Bond studied, like Fleming, at one of the best schools in the country; this and his keen intelligence give him a certain reverence for the past (Lycett, 16-22, 358). He has a critical and unpleasant attitude towards others, which is also tinged with racism. For example, in one novel Bond takes a brief look at a band of potential adversaries and observes: "It was not difficult to sum them up into three Corsicans, three Germans, three vaguely Balkan faces, Turks, Bulgarians and three obvious Slavs" (On Her Secret Services of Majesty, 96). Bond does not see foreigners as individuals; rather, it brings them together to claim a certain superiority of droit de seigneur over them – the “right” or “power” to identify and subjugate them. At a time when Britain was losing its influence over India and China, Bond asserted control that Britain could not (McKay, 989-992). In several novels Bond also saves the mighty United States from itself, surely an unlikely role reversal in Britain's faltering favor (Lycett, 382-383). Furthermore, Bond restores order to areas of the world where local authorities apparently could not govern themselves adequately (Susla, 119). Imperialist sentiment 78,, 416).