Why Did The Cold War End? Topic 3 Reagan Part 3

Front 1

What does the phrase "Second Cold War" mean?

Back 1

The 'Second Cold War' is a phrase used to describe the period between 1979 and 1985, which marked a new low in superpower relations. As in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the public was extremely concerned about the possibility of nuclear war. This anxiety was reflected in popular culture, particularly in television shows such as the American TV movie The Day After (1983) and the British TV drama Threads (1984).

Front 2

When did Ronald Reagan become the new American president?

Back 2

1981

Front 3

How did Reagan stand in terms of his attitude towards the Cold War?

Back 3

Reagan in no way had any intention of putting back together detente he believed it was time for America to start fighting again. Reagan wanted to win the Cold War.

Front 4

What was the American media stance on Reagan

Back 4

– the American media were not convinced that Reagan was suitable to be president. He was famous for starring low-budget 1950s movies his most famous role was in the film bedtime for Bonzo (1951), in which he starred alongside a chimp. Reading was betrayed as a modern day cowboy, who knew nothing of world affairs and was totally unqualified to be American president.

Front 5

What did the French and British think of Reagan?

Back 5

French and British commentators were also worried by Reagan, particularly when he stated that he could imagine "a limited nuclear war in Europe".

Front 6

What did Reagan think of detente?

Back 6

Reagan has strong ideas on the future of the Cold War. For example, he believed that detente had been a disaster for the USA. He thought the policy had made the USA week following the USSR to grow strong. Reagan rejected the idea of peaceful coexistence with the USSR, believing that it was America's deaths need to fight for individual freedom in the Cold War.

Front 7

What was Reagan's Evil empire speech?

Back 7

Reagan made his view of the Soviet Union plain in his famous (Evil Empire' speech in March 1983. Reagan was a committed Christian and gave this speech at a meeting of the National Association of Evangelicals, a Christian organisation. Reagan argued that the Cold War was a fight between good and evil, and that America fought with God's blessing.

Front 8

What was Reagan's main point in his 'evil empire' speech?

Back 8

Reagan urged Americans not to: 'ignore the facts of history and the aggressive impulses of an evil empire' and to 'remove yourself from the struggle between right and wrong and good and evil'.Reagan's point was that the Cold War was a moral war and that America had a moral duty to invest in new nuclear weapons in order to defend liberty from the 'evil' Soviet Union.

Front 9

What is an extract from Reagans "evil empire" speech

Back 9

"A number of years ago, I heard a young father give a speech in which he said, 'I love my little girls more than anything. He went on: 'I would rather see my little girls die now; still believing in God, than have them grow up under communism and one day die no longer believing in God'. There were thousands of young people in that audience. They came to their feet with shouts of joy.They had instantly recognized the profound truth in what he had said."

Front 10

What was Reagan's vision?

Back 10

Many of his closest advisers misunderstood him.They thought that when he talked about victory in the Cold War, he was only trying to win support from the American people. But Reagan had a bold vision: he was determined to win the Cold War. He honestly believed that the USA should fight to win. Specifically, Reagan believed that the USSR could be forced to disarm by his new initiative: SDI (Strategic Defence Initiative).

Front 11

What was 'Star Wars' (STI) ?

Back 11

Reagan's plan for winning the Cold War involved taking the arms race to a new level. He proposed a 'nuclear umbrella , which would stop Soviet nuclear bombs from reaching American soil. Reagan's plan was to launch an army of satellites equipped with powerful lasers, which would intercept Soviet missiles in space and destroy them before they could do America any harm. For obvious reasons Reagan's scheme soon became known as 'Star Wars'. Reagan believed that his 'Star Wars' technology would make Soviet nuclear missiles useless and therefore, force the USSR to disarm.

Front 12

How was STI (Star Wars) a turning point in the arms race?

Back 12

During detente, the superpowers had been evenly matched and had worked together to limit the growth of their nuclear stockpiles. SDI was a complete break from this policy. In fact, SDI broke the terms of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 (see page 47), which was signed during detente and had committed the superpowers to use space technology for peace alone.

Front 13

What was the Soviet response to SDI?

Back 13

– The Soviet leadersknew perfectly well they could not compete with Reagans (Star Wars) plan. For many reasons concerning the USSRs technology ,economy and fear of the potential of technology the USSR could no longer compete in the arms race.

Front 14

How did previous events in the arms/space race affect the Soviets response to STI?

Back 14

First, America had won the race to the moon in 1969, and by the early 1980s it to develop the next generation of spacecraft: the space shuttle

Front 15

How did the Soviet economy affects the Soviets response SDI?

Back 15

Secondly, the Soviet economy was not producing enough wealth to fund consumer goods, conventional military spending and the development of new space-based weapons.

Front 16

How did the computer technology element of STI affect the Soviet response to "Star Wars"?

Back 16

The USSR was behind America in terms of its computer technology. During the 1980s, the American computer market boomed. Prior

to the SDI, however, Soviet leaders were highly suspicious of computers because they were concerned they might be used to undermine the power of the Communist Party. For example, computers with word processors and printers could be used to produce anti-government propaganda, or computers linked

to telephones could be used to leak secrets to governments in the West.Computers were essential for the development of a 'Star Wars'-type programme.

Front 17

How did the Soviet economy affects the Soviets response SDI?

Back 17

Secondly, the Soviet economy was not producing enough wealth to fund consumer goods, conventional military spending and the development of new space-based weapons.

Front 18

How did the computer technology element of STI affect the Soviet response to "Star Wars"?

Back 18

The USSR was behind America in terms of its computer technology. During the 1980s, the American computer market boomed. Prior

to the SDI, however, Soviet leaders were highly suspicious of computers because they were concerned they might be used to undermine the power of the Communist Party. For example, computers with word

processors and printers could be used to produce anti-government propaganda, or computers linked to telephones could be used to leak secrets to governments in the West.

Computers were essential for the development of a 'Star Wars'-type

programme.