Paper 1 Theme 1 - Topic 3: Reagan and his policies Flashcards
Strategic Arms Limitations Talk (SALT I) and SALT II
(not by Reagan)
1: 27th March, 1972
Nixon agreed with the USSR to limit the number of strategic missiles in each country.
2: 18th June, 1979
Established numerical equality between the two nations in terms of nuclear weapons delivery system.
The treaty was signed but not ratified as the USSR eventually invaded Afghanistan.
Declaration of the Basic Principles of Relations between USSR and USA
29th March, 1972
- Conduct mutual relations based on mutual existence
- Use peaceful means to settle differences
- Prevent a rise in international tensions and promote conditions in which all countries will live in peace and security
- faithful implementations of joint agreements
- Continued exchange of views on problems of problems
Helsinki Conference on Security and Cooperation
Signed in 1975
Basket one: Acceptance that the borders of European countries were ‘inviolable’. (recognised USSR’s influence in USSR)
Basket two: Promoted links and exchanges across the Iron curtain in the areas of trade, technology and culture (slow down demise of USSR due to aid)
Basket three: Respect human rights, including the freedom of speech and freedom of movement across Europe (Allows international influence on USSR which was important to the US)
Nuclear arms development in 1970s
The SALTs were circumvented with the development of new nuclear weapons.
The USSR deployed their new ss-20s in 1976 while the US deployed the Cruise and Pershing 2 missiles in Europe in retaliation.
Soviet expansion in the Third World
The Soviet Union expanded its influence in Africa in countries such as Angola, Ethiopia and Mozambique.
In 1979, she invaded Afghanistan.
Reagan’s ascension to the presidency
20th January 1981
Was a fervent anti-communist and a conservative. He campaigned to lead the free world against the communist struggle. Reagan was also a powerful orator.
He tended to see things in simple terms of right and wrong. He saw the communists as crooks and thus there was no use negotiating with them since they would break them.
He described the USSR and the communist bloc as an “evil empire”
Ronald Reagan’s “the evil-empire speech”
8 March 1983
The speech was made at a time when Congress was debating a resolution in support of a “nuclear freeze” that the USSR had supported, which would prevent the deployment of US cruise and Pershing II missiles.
Reagan Doctrine
It was a policy of “rolling back” communism. He called for the support of forces fighting for freedom all over the world, including those fighting in Communist totalitarian states.
He actively encouraged insurgents in Eastern Europe and provided covert support for Solidarity in Poland.
Increased support was also given to “freedom fighters” in Afghanistan, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Angola, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Cambodia.
Arms-build up
Within 2 weeks, Reagan increased the Defense Budget by 36 billion. During his first term, the Defense Budget increased by nearly 50%.
Yuri Andropov gave a speech in January 1983 expressing his concern over US military challenge.
November 1983: He deployed Pershing 2 and Cruise missiles in Western Europe. As a result, Moscow break off talks and negotiations for arms reductions (SALT and INF)
Able Archer 83
November 1983
It was a ten-day NATO military exercise simulating the event of a nuclear attack. In it, NATO changed its readiness condition to DEFCON 1.
In response, USSR placed Soviet forces on the highest alert level. The Soviets would also deploy submarines along the US coastline for the first time since the CMC.
After this, Reagan was puzzled that the Soviets were genuinely afraid of the US as a potential aggressor who might hurl nuclear weapons at them in a first strike. Thus, he needed to convince the Russians that they had nothing to fear from the US.
Strategic Defence Initiative (Star Wars)
March 1983
Argued for this concept of defence which intended to provide a protective shield of laser and particle beam weapons in space against incoming ballistic missiles.
This was never implemented but the USSR took it seriously.
Reagan’s second term
1985-1988
Reagan’s approach became more conciliatory and cooperative.
Domestic economic pressure
As military spending got close to 7% of US’s total GDP, , oppositions criticised Reagan and its neglect of social welfare programs.
Peace movements in the West
Protests against arms-build up and deployment of nuclear missiles grew. The most notable one happened on June 12, 1982, where close to a million people gathered in NYC and Manhattan, seeking immediate disarmament and arms cut back.
In Europe, more than 300,000 protesters marched during on weekend against the Cruise and Pershing missiles.
Iran Contra Affair
Late 1986
It was revealed that Reagan had negotiated with terrorists to circumvent the Congressional ban on financing the Contras of Nicaragua. He had sold weapons to the revolutionary government of Iran, and someof the money from had been covertly and illegally funnelled into a fund to aid the Contras in Nicaragua.
His vote thus decreased from 67% to 49% and his international reputation was seriously hurt.
