06. The ending of the Cold War, 1985-91
Ronald Reagan
- “Let’s make America great again.”
- Reagan was a ‘conviction politician’ determined to revitalise the US after
years of perceived weakness and to confront the expansionism of
communism from the USSR.
- To his critics his hostile stance made war more likely.
- Two term president (1981-84 and 1985-89)
- Hard lined Republican, who brought in the ‘new right’:
- Economic conservative (low tax, free trade, deregulation of financial
markets, limiting power of trade unions, limited social welfare).
- Social conservative to wage war on the corrosive legacy of the 1960s
(family values, anti-abortion, anti-homosexuality, against divorce and
single parents).
- National pride and patriotism prevailed (celebration of Americanism).
- First term a tough stance was taken against communism. He was a
confrontational, militaristic, Cold ‘Warrior’, hated by the left.
- Second term ‘softened’ his approach.
1981-83: Cold Warrior Reagan
- Initiated the largest peacetime military build-up in US history.
- $17.4bn under Carter to $300bn under Reagan. By 1987 Reagan’s
defence programme had cost $2 trillion.
- Restored military development programmes (B-1 bomber and neutron
bomb) which Carter had cancelled.
- Approved the development of Stealth aircraft and the Strategic Defence
Initiative.
- Rejected Soviet attempts to restore the SALT II agreements.
- However, Reagan did propose the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START)
under pressure from Europe, and a growing anti-nuclear movement.
These began in 1982.
November 1981: Zero Option failed
- In early 1977: the Soviet deployment of SS-20s (medium range nuclear
missiles pointed at Western European cities).
- In 1981 Reagan announced that he would honour the NATO 1979 decision
to deploy U.S intermediate-range nuclear missiles to Western Europe to
counter Soviet SS-20s that were aimed at the region.
- There were immediate public protests throughout Europe and this
announcement generated a peace movement.
- Reagan offered to cancel the deployment of Pershing II and cruise missiles
(which could not be detected by radar) if the Soviet Union would remove
all its SS-20 missiles (~600 in total) targeted on Western Europe.
- He knew the US were in a position of strength because of the weakening
of the Soviet economy.
- Brezhnev rejected this offer.
- The US deployment of Cruise and Pershing missiles in the UK, West
Germany and Italy – at their request.
,- START talks stalled, and the Soviet delegation walked out in 1983 in
protest of the US deployment of intermediate range missiles to West
Germany (in place by Nov 1983).
Reagan’s philosophy
- Believed that détente had been a disaster, making the USA weak and
allowing the USSR to grow strong.
- Rejected the idea of peaceful co-existence and believed it was America’s
destiny to fight for individual freedom in the Cold War.
23rd March 1983: SDI – ‘Star Wars’
- The Proposal: A ‘nuclear umbrella’ which would stop Soviet nuclear bombs
from reaching American soil.
- The Plan: To launch an army of satellites equipped with powerful lasers
which would intercept Soviet missiles in space and destroy them before
they could reach America.
- The Point: Reagan believed this technology would make Soviet nuclear
missiles useless and therefore force the USSR to disarm.
- SDI was a turning point in the arms race. During détente, the superpowers
had been evenly matched and had worked together to limit the growth of
their nuclear stockpiles.
- SDI was a complete break from this policy. It broke the terms of the Outer
Space Treaty of 1967 which had committed the use of space technology
for peace alone.
Nuclear arms race (again)
- B-1 bomber – a supersonic strategic bomber.
- Neutron bomb – a thermonuclear weapon designed to maximise lethal
neutron radiation whilst minimising the physical power of the blast itself
(an advantage if used against the Soviets over allied nations like
Germany)
- Stealth aircraft – aircraft designed to avoid detection.
- Strategic Defence Initiative – a missile defence system designed to protect
the USA from attacks by ballistic strategic nuclear weapons (ICBMs and
SLBMs).
- SS-20s – Soviet missiles that could reach any target in Europe from Soviet
territory; the SS-20 Mod 2 was equipped with a MIRV.
- Cruise and Pershing – Missiles deployed to NATO countries in Western
Europe to counteract the SS-20s.
Legacies of the Brezhnev era
- Brezhnev had achieved nuclear parity.
- Détente was undermined by Soviet interventions in Angola (1975),
Ethiopia (1977) and destroyed by the invasion of Afghanistan (1979).
- The Soviet economy had stagnated and been engulfed by corruption.
Yuri Andropov (November 1982 – February 1984)
ex-director of the KGB
, The most ‘switched on man in the Kremlin’
Andropov wanted to restore détente.
- Détente was necessary because the USSR was in economic meltdown.
- But he also continued the war in Afghanistan.
Andropov failed to improve relations with the USA.
- He refused to reduce nuclear weapons, and Reagan was playing hardball -
SDI was announced which Andropov opposed.
1983: a year of change (Turning point)
- 8th Mar: Evil Empire speech.
- Zero Option was due to begin but was rejected.
- NATO deployed Pershing and cruise missiles in Europe (to counter Soviet
SS-20s).
- 23rd Mar: SDI announced.
- Soviets abandoned START talks.
- July: Samantha Smith went to the USSR.
- 1st Sept: Soviets shoot down KAL-007.
- 25th Oct: US invasion of Grenada.
- 7th Nov: Operation Able Archer.
1st September 1983: KAL 007
- In September 1983, 269 people killed including 61 Americans.
- Soviets showed no remorse.
- Reagan was enraged and called the Soviets ‘barbaric’.
- Andropov issued a bitter statement declaring, in effect, that he could no
longer do business with the Reagan administration.
November 1983: Operation Able Archer
- Codename for a military exercise by NATO forces in Western Europe,
simulating an escalation to DEFCON 1.
- The realism, combined with deteriorating relations between the
superpowers, led the Soviet Union to believe this was a build-up to war.
- Nuclear forces in the GDR and Poland were put on alert.
- It brought the world to its closest to nuclear war since the Cuban Missile
Crisis.
- The Soviets were convinced the West were preparing to invade the
Eastern bloc and mobilised for full scale nuclear war.
- When Reagan heard that the USSR mobilised for full nuclear war, he was
genuinely shocked and pledged to remove nuclear weapons as an option
for ever.
- He re-focused on improving relations with the Soviets especially on the
issue of nuclear weapons from Nov 1983.
- In Nov 1983 Reagan established an advisory group whose purpose was to
chart a course towards ‘constructive cooperation’.
- Reagan unveiled this new approach on 16th Jan 1984 with a major speech
on superpower relations.
Reagan’s new approach
Ronald Reagan
- “Let’s make America great again.”
- Reagan was a ‘conviction politician’ determined to revitalise the US after
years of perceived weakness and to confront the expansionism of
communism from the USSR.
- To his critics his hostile stance made war more likely.
- Two term president (1981-84 and 1985-89)
- Hard lined Republican, who brought in the ‘new right’:
- Economic conservative (low tax, free trade, deregulation of financial
markets, limiting power of trade unions, limited social welfare).
- Social conservative to wage war on the corrosive legacy of the 1960s
(family values, anti-abortion, anti-homosexuality, against divorce and
single parents).
- National pride and patriotism prevailed (celebration of Americanism).
- First term a tough stance was taken against communism. He was a
confrontational, militaristic, Cold ‘Warrior’, hated by the left.
- Second term ‘softened’ his approach.
1981-83: Cold Warrior Reagan
- Initiated the largest peacetime military build-up in US history.
- $17.4bn under Carter to $300bn under Reagan. By 1987 Reagan’s
defence programme had cost $2 trillion.
- Restored military development programmes (B-1 bomber and neutron
bomb) which Carter had cancelled.
- Approved the development of Stealth aircraft and the Strategic Defence
Initiative.
- Rejected Soviet attempts to restore the SALT II agreements.
- However, Reagan did propose the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START)
under pressure from Europe, and a growing anti-nuclear movement.
These began in 1982.
November 1981: Zero Option failed
- In early 1977: the Soviet deployment of SS-20s (medium range nuclear
missiles pointed at Western European cities).
- In 1981 Reagan announced that he would honour the NATO 1979 decision
to deploy U.S intermediate-range nuclear missiles to Western Europe to
counter Soviet SS-20s that were aimed at the region.
- There were immediate public protests throughout Europe and this
announcement generated a peace movement.
- Reagan offered to cancel the deployment of Pershing II and cruise missiles
(which could not be detected by radar) if the Soviet Union would remove
all its SS-20 missiles (~600 in total) targeted on Western Europe.
- He knew the US were in a position of strength because of the weakening
of the Soviet economy.
- Brezhnev rejected this offer.
- The US deployment of Cruise and Pershing missiles in the UK, West
Germany and Italy – at their request.
,- START talks stalled, and the Soviet delegation walked out in 1983 in
protest of the US deployment of intermediate range missiles to West
Germany (in place by Nov 1983).
Reagan’s philosophy
- Believed that détente had been a disaster, making the USA weak and
allowing the USSR to grow strong.
- Rejected the idea of peaceful co-existence and believed it was America’s
destiny to fight for individual freedom in the Cold War.
23rd March 1983: SDI – ‘Star Wars’
- The Proposal: A ‘nuclear umbrella’ which would stop Soviet nuclear bombs
from reaching American soil.
- The Plan: To launch an army of satellites equipped with powerful lasers
which would intercept Soviet missiles in space and destroy them before
they could reach America.
- The Point: Reagan believed this technology would make Soviet nuclear
missiles useless and therefore force the USSR to disarm.
- SDI was a turning point in the arms race. During détente, the superpowers
had been evenly matched and had worked together to limit the growth of
their nuclear stockpiles.
- SDI was a complete break from this policy. It broke the terms of the Outer
Space Treaty of 1967 which had committed the use of space technology
for peace alone.
Nuclear arms race (again)
- B-1 bomber – a supersonic strategic bomber.
- Neutron bomb – a thermonuclear weapon designed to maximise lethal
neutron radiation whilst minimising the physical power of the blast itself
(an advantage if used against the Soviets over allied nations like
Germany)
- Stealth aircraft – aircraft designed to avoid detection.
- Strategic Defence Initiative – a missile defence system designed to protect
the USA from attacks by ballistic strategic nuclear weapons (ICBMs and
SLBMs).
- SS-20s – Soviet missiles that could reach any target in Europe from Soviet
territory; the SS-20 Mod 2 was equipped with a MIRV.
- Cruise and Pershing – Missiles deployed to NATO countries in Western
Europe to counteract the SS-20s.
Legacies of the Brezhnev era
- Brezhnev had achieved nuclear parity.
- Détente was undermined by Soviet interventions in Angola (1975),
Ethiopia (1977) and destroyed by the invasion of Afghanistan (1979).
- The Soviet economy had stagnated and been engulfed by corruption.
Yuri Andropov (November 1982 – February 1984)
ex-director of the KGB
, The most ‘switched on man in the Kremlin’
Andropov wanted to restore détente.
- Détente was necessary because the USSR was in economic meltdown.
- But he also continued the war in Afghanistan.
Andropov failed to improve relations with the USA.
- He refused to reduce nuclear weapons, and Reagan was playing hardball -
SDI was announced which Andropov opposed.
1983: a year of change (Turning point)
- 8th Mar: Evil Empire speech.
- Zero Option was due to begin but was rejected.
- NATO deployed Pershing and cruise missiles in Europe (to counter Soviet
SS-20s).
- 23rd Mar: SDI announced.
- Soviets abandoned START talks.
- July: Samantha Smith went to the USSR.
- 1st Sept: Soviets shoot down KAL-007.
- 25th Oct: US invasion of Grenada.
- 7th Nov: Operation Able Archer.
1st September 1983: KAL 007
- In September 1983, 269 people killed including 61 Americans.
- Soviets showed no remorse.
- Reagan was enraged and called the Soviets ‘barbaric’.
- Andropov issued a bitter statement declaring, in effect, that he could no
longer do business with the Reagan administration.
November 1983: Operation Able Archer
- Codename for a military exercise by NATO forces in Western Europe,
simulating an escalation to DEFCON 1.
- The realism, combined with deteriorating relations between the
superpowers, led the Soviet Union to believe this was a build-up to war.
- Nuclear forces in the GDR and Poland were put on alert.
- It brought the world to its closest to nuclear war since the Cuban Missile
Crisis.
- The Soviets were convinced the West were preparing to invade the
Eastern bloc and mobilised for full scale nuclear war.
- When Reagan heard that the USSR mobilised for full nuclear war, he was
genuinely shocked and pledged to remove nuclear weapons as an option
for ever.
- He re-focused on improving relations with the Soviets especially on the
issue of nuclear weapons from Nov 1983.
- In Nov 1983 Reagan established an advisory group whose purpose was to
chart a course towards ‘constructive cooperation’.
- Reagan unveiled this new approach on 16th Jan 1984 with a major speech
on superpower relations.
Reagan’s new approach
