Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty(INF), 1987

Question 1

When was the third summit held ?
What did it achieve

Answer 1

December 1987
A breakthrough was achieved with the agreement of INF

Question 2

Why did Gorbachev refused to sign an arms treaty with Reagan at Riykjavik?

Answer 2

Reagan had refused to drop his plans for SDI

Question 3

What were the four ways the Gorbachev changed Reagan mind ?

Answer 3

• Gorb was convinced that Nuclear weapons would not gaurantee soviet security and were too expensive
• Reag convinced Gorb that the USA did not intend to invade Soviet Union
• Gorb realised the soviet economy would never recover if it carried on spending money on nukes
• Gorb believed disarmaments would win him popularity in the west and would encourage trade deals with the West

Question 4

What did the treaty INF eliminate ?

Answer 4

Nuclear and conventional ground launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500km
By the treaty’s deadline of 1 June 1991
- 2692 weapons had been destroyed with a mix of both US and soviet

Question 5

What did the treaty also allow ?

Answer 5

Both the Soviet Union and the USA to inspect the other sides arsenal

Question 6

How did both Reagan and Gorbachev see the INF ?

Answer 6

Reagan saw it as a realisation of an ‘impossible vision’
Gorbachev saw it as ‘universal significance for mankind’
Both leaders stressed InF was only the first step forward and even more radials agreements to halve nuclear weapons