What is happening in the United States during the time period in which the novel, David Starr, Space Ranger, is set?

Written during the cold war years, a time of heightened political tensions and military rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, the novel reflects the political tension of the time. The main theme, good versus evil, highlights the values of the individual who voluntarily fights for a democratic system prevailing over those of evil would-be dictators.