The timeline is set between 1963-1989, JFK had barely survived his assassination in 1963 and was still president before retiring in 1979, and the Soviets had caused the Cold War to go out of hand, not to mention that Vietnam was at full force as well until it ended in 1975. Alex Mason, former Vietnam soldier turned Secret Service agent was freed from his brainwashing with the thanks of Jason Hudson's help, and Hudson's still got his shades like the FBI "Ice Cube" agent he was despite his hair growing back and turning grey, though Woods hasn't been found yet until he was found in Africa back in '86. The only question is: How will you play your story in the original Black Ops timeline?