Ronald Reagan Flashcards
When was Reagan elected President?
1980
The was the “Second Cold War?”
Referred to the change in policy of the US when Reagan became President. Reagan placed major emphasis on fighting communism and made it clear that he would confront the Soviet Union whenever possible.
What did Reagan’s defense programme include?
- 100 MX missiles
- 100 B-1 long-range and supersonic bombers.
- The construction of a new steal bomb which would be invisible to radar.
- The construction of 6 Trident nuclear submarines.
- The strengthening of the military communicatiosn systems.
- The development of the neutron bomb.
They also so planed to place Cruis Missiles in Eastern Europe, whicih worsened relations.
How much did Reagan say the defence programme would cost?
More than a trillion dollars.
What was NUTS?
Nuclear Utilization Target Selection. the view that Reagan and his advisors thought they could win a limited Nuclear war. This increased tension as until then, the Superpowers ahd believed in the MAD theory.
What was the MAD theory?
Mutually Assured Destruction - the idea that there would not be nuclear war if both sides were armed as the threat of nuclear weapons was enough to keep wither side from firing the first missile.
What was the “zero option.”
in November 1981, Reagan proposed the zero option - the cancel deployment of new US intermediate-range missiles in Western Europe in return for the Soviet dismantling of comparable forces. Brezhnev refused.
What do historians believe about the zero option?
That Reagan knew that Brezhnev would refuse and this would mean that the US could put more missiles in Europe.
In a speech in Britain, on the 8th of June 1982, what did Reagan call the Soviet Union.
An evil empire. (shots fired)
What did Andropov say in response to being called an evil empire.
He called Reagan an insane liar.
How did Reagan confront Communism?
- armed and financed the mujahideen
- armed and financed governments in El Salvador and Honduras who were fighting communism.
- Armed “freedom” fighters in Nicaragua who were fighting the communist government there.
- US forced invaded the Carribean island of Grenada because communists had seized power there.
What were the START talks?
Strategic Arms Reductions Talks - continued despite tensions between Reagan and the Soviet Union.
What happened in Poland that complicated negotiations to reduce arms?
The USA gave secret assistance to the Polish workers’ trade union, Solidarity, which was banned in 1982.
What was Star Wars?
Strategic Defensive Initiative (SDI) - defensive system that in theory would destroy incoming missiles whilst in orbit. It would create a shield for US land-based missiles.
When was Star Wars announced by Reagan?
23rd, March 1983.
