Ronald Reagan
- 40th U.S. President
- A former Hollywood actor
- Elected for a second term in 1984
- Saw the USSR as the ‘evil empire’ and wouldn’t negotiate with them for the first years of his Presidency
- Was much more hardline than the détente Presidents
- Increased military spending dramatically as part of the renewed arms race with the USSR
Ended Cold War and Communism, he was re-elected for a second term. He called the USSR the evil empire.
80s Arms Race
- The USSR had a 3:2 advantage in sheer numbers
- New issue is how to deliver them
- Cruise missiles are placed in Europe by NATO
- ‘Smart Weapons’ - planes, weapons and even tanks begin to be controlled by computer and are ‘guided’
Finding new weapons to talk first with, delivery missiles became an important factor.
Summary
Ronald Reagan was the 40th US president, and a former Hollywood actor who was elected for a second term as President in 1984. He believed that the USSR was the evil empire and refused to negotiate with them for the first years of his presidency. Reagan was much more hardline then other detente presidents. He increased military spending dramatically as part of the renewed arms race with the USSR.