The significance of Reagan's politics Flashcards
What were Soviet leaders unable to compete with?
Star Wars, they could match the USA’s spending commitment
What had the USA done during the 1970s?
Had produced sophisticated computer technology, which far surpassed anything that was available in the SU. This technology would form the basis of Star Wars
What had accentuated the imbalance of economic power in favour of the West?
Economic problems in the Eastern Bloc and renewed growth in the West
What did Star Wars imply?
That Reagan was contemplating a winnable nuclear war
What could a space-based missile shield do in theory?
Counter a Soviet nuclear attack, allowing the USA to survive a nuclear war unscathed
What could the USSR’s nuclear arsenal no longer deter?
A US nuclear strike
Why was Reagan’s new confrontational style significant?
It increased tension between the governments of the superpowers
What did Andrei Gromyko (senior member of the Russian government) note?
An increased chill in superpower relations from Reagan’s inauguration as President in January 1981
What caused great concern to Communist leaders?
Reagan’s inflammatory off-the-cuff remarks about the possibility of a limited nuclear war in Europe
What happened in 1976 to cause a US decline of commitment to detente?
Fierce criticism of detente during the presidential election
What happened in 1977 to cause a US decline of commitment to detente?
Carter, a critic of detente, becomes US President
SALT 2 negotiations difficulties - Carter demands lower ceilings
What happened in 1979 to cause a US decline of commitment to détente?
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan - US criticism of detente increase
What happened in 1980 to cause a US decline of commitment to detente?
Carter demands Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan and introduces grain embargo
What happened in 1981 to cause a US decline of commitment to detente?
Reagan, committed to ending detente, becomes US President
