6.2.1

Key Figures & Summits

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Reagan and Bush

In 1980 Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States. He was committed to anti-communism.

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Reagan and 'Star Wars'

  • Reagan increased US defence spending by $32.6 billion and planned to spend it on: The Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI), nicknamed ‘Star Wars'.
  • His plan was to create a system using satellites and lasers to shoot down any missiles that might be launched by the USSR against the USA.
  • This plan would have swung the nuclear balance strongly in the USA’s favour.
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USSR reaction to 'Star Wars'

  • The SDI alarmed the USSR who thought it would destabilise the ‘balance of terror’.
  • This caused the USSR to continue to spend on their nuclear capability. This became a source of tension between Reagan and Gorbachev at all the summits they had between 1985-1988.
  • The USSR’s economy was struggling and the cost of matching such a programme was out of their reach.
  • They were also very suspicious of the computer-technology that was required to support such a programme and had not invested in it.
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The end of the arms race

  • SDI was the final straw breaker – the USSR could no longer afford to keep up with America in the arms race.
  • The British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher condemned Reagan’s ‘Star Wars’ policy however some NATO members supported it, such as the leader of West Germany.
  • This exposed the difference of opinion from the NATO members.
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Bush and the US response to 1991

  • President Bush visited Poland and Hungary in 1989 to show that he would support the shift to democracy.
  • From September 1991, the USA established principles by which the new post-USSR republics could receive assistance and recognition in the USA.
    • The USA stated that they supported self-determination and recognised borders.
    • They also stated that they supported democracy, the rule of law and human rights.
    • Russia was given successor status on the seat of the UN Security Council.
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Bush and the restriction of nuclear weapons

  • In 1991, President Bush signed the START Treaty which limited numbers of most types of nuclear weapons by approximately a third.
    • This was necessary following the SDI problems as the USSR was greatly alarmed at the deployment of US cruise missiles in Western Europe.

Key Summits

Reagan's SDI led to a series of summits.

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Geneva Summit 1985

  • At this summit, both the USSR and the USA wanted to talk peace. The key points for discussion were:
    • Reducing nuclear weapons by 50%.
    • Gorbachev hoped to persuade Reagan to drop plans for SDI.
    • They also discussed banning chemical weapons.
  • There were no concrete outcomes from this meeting.
  • However, it was seen as a success because the USSR and USA issued a joint statement saying that ‘a nuclear war must never be fought’.
Illustrative background for Reykjavik Summit October 1986Illustrative background for Reykjavik Summit October 1986 ?? "content

Reykjavik Summit October 1986

  • At Reykjavik, discussions were made to limit continental weapons and reduce the range of nuclear weapons, with the view to eliminate them within 10 years.
  • Reagan suggested getting rid of all ballistic nuclear missiles but Gorbachev refused to do so if SDI was not dropped.
  • There were no concrete outcomes from this meeting.
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Washington Summit December 1987

  • At this meeting, the focus was on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).
    • The Treaty was signed and it stated the elimination of all nuclear missiles with a range between 500-5500 km.
    • Stockpiles started to be reduced.
  • Gorbachev also decided to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.
  • The summit seemed a real success and a signal that the Cold War was ending.
Illustrative background for Moscow Summit May-June 1988Illustrative background for Moscow Summit May-June 1988 ?? "content

Moscow Summit May-June 1988

  • Initially, the START Treaty was going to be discussed here, but in the end, it wasn’t.
  • Seven cultural and human rights agreements were signed.
  • SDI was still not dropped and as a result, discussions were lengthy and difficult.

Jump to other topics

1Origins of the Cold War, 1945-9

2Widening of the Cold War

3The Global War

4Confrontation & Cooperation

5Brezhnev Era

6Ending of the Cold War

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