President Ronald Reagan s Strategic Defense Initiative

Thirtythree years ago President Ronald Reagan issued an astonishing reversal of America’s national security strategy. Rather than basing American security on the presumption that an attack by one superpower on the other would result in the unleashing of a catastrophic retaliatory strike, Reagan committed the United States to pursuing a strategy of defending against offensive missiles. The plan he set to action was the Strategic Defense Initiative(SDI) or â€Å"The Star Wars Plan.† This was a system of base ground units and orbital deployment platforms. Reagan himself did not like that the nation’s strategic doctrine was based on the threat of annihilating the whole population of the Soviet Union. This was referred to as MAD (Mutual†¦show more content†¦He realized the Soviet Union was not the unstoppable super power that their propaganda lead the populace to believe. European and American investigations support that the Soviet economy was â€Å"43% the size of the United States† from 1989-90. It is known that he was also very concerned about the SDI due to his belief that if the U.S. gained â€Å"technological superiority† combined with their already superior economy they would become far more ahead of the soviets and become out of reach. The U.S. knew this and began to play the cold war with possibly one of the riskiest poker faces’ of all time. America was able to use the Soviet’s own problems against them and by adding the SDI to the equation this created unrest and more to handle. Gorbachev came to office greeted by a stagnant economy and a political structure that made reform nearly impossible. His first move was political openness, or as the Russians referred to it as, â€Å"Glasnost.† This started by eliminating â€Å"stalinistic repression traces such as the banning of books, the secret police and freeing political prisoners.† Newspapers had a freedom to print more openly, even about the government, and for the first time not just the communist party could compete in elections. The pressure from a less and less communist world helped Gorbachev ease his conscious in the decision ofShow MoreRelatedIb Hl History Ia1632 Words   |  7 PagesInternal Assessment Was President Ronald Reagan the reason for the Cold War’s conclusion? Word Count: 1,634 Was President Ronald Reagan the reason for the Cold War’s conclusion? A. Plan of Investigation This investigation focuses on the impact that President Ronald Reagan had on ending the Cold War between the United States of America and the Soviet Union during the 1980’s. The use of historian argumentation, primary sources, such as Ronald Reagan’s Address to the Nation on Defense and National SecurityRead MoreRonald Reagan Essay1145 Words   |  5 PagesBorn on February 6, 1911, Ronald Reagan, â€Å"Dutch,† never knew that he would grow up to be famous. He served two terms as governor of California, but before that he starred in Hollywood films. Originally a liberal Democrat, Reagan ran for the U.S. presidency as a conservative Republican and won, his term beginning in 1980. Ronald Reagan became the oldest President elected when he took office as the 40th President of the United States. He was also the first U.S. president after Dwight D. EisenhowerRead MoreThe Legacy Of Ronald Wilson Reagan1247 Words   |  5 PagesRonald Wilson Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois on February 6, 1911 to Nelle Wilson and John Edward Reagan. His father, also known as Jack Reagan, came from an Irish background, while his mother was a Scottish and English mix. Reagan had only one sibling, his brother, Neil Reagan. He attended a high school nearby what he considers his hometown, Dixon. At Dixon high school, he served as student body president and participated in football,basketball, track, and school plays. After graduating fromRead MoreIs Ronald Reagan Under or Overrated as a President? Essay675 Words   |  3 Pages Is Ronald Reagan overrated or underrated as a president? Born Ronald Wilson Reagan on February 6, 1911 in Tampico, Illinois. He was an actor for 30 years before he became involved in politics. He starred in more than 50 movies. Along with acting, he was also a radio sportscaster. He served as the 33rd Governor of California. He was married to Jane Wyman from 1940 to 1949. He married Nancy Davis in 1952. President Ronald Reagan was our 40th president of the United States. He came intoRead MoreLeadership, Communication, And Citizen Compassion1561 Words   |  7 Pagesthe presidency have done so based on successful political careers. However, not all whom have held presidential office have endured the fortune of a successful presidency. Many are the theories that seek to identify the qualities of a successful president. Yet the question remains, why have some been able to transfer the success of their political careers into the Oval Office while others have had lackluster terms? What variables are possessed by some that enable success while others struggle duringRead MoreThe Heart Of Reagan s Foreign Policy867 Words   |  4 PagesWhen Ronald Reagan to the oath of office on January 20, 1981, he called upon Americans to â€Å"begin an era of national renewal.† In response to the serious problems facing the country, both foreign and domestic, he asserted his familiar campaign phrase: Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem. His dream was to make America the beacon of hope and freedom for those who do not have freedom. Reagan advanced domestic policies that featured a lessening of federal governmentRead MoreThe Presidential Election For The Presidency Of The United States1425 Words   |  6 Pagesconclusion that Ronald Reagan never left the campaign trail.   In the second GOP debate alone, the â€Å"Great Communicator’s† name was brought up a total of 23 times, which even exceeds the number of times Donald Trump mentioned China.   One of the comments coming from Jeb Bush was â€Å"I’m on the Reagan side of this.†   Additionally, Senator Marco Rubio stated that â€Å"Reagan and his approach worked (CITE).†   The candidates worked hard to evoke memories of and make comparisons to the beloved former president.   The debateRead MoreRonald Reagan s Accomplishments And Accomplishment s1509 Words   |  7 PagesAA35 Dr. Reese English 102 October 13, 2017 Ronald Reagan Era From Hollywood to the White House, Ronald Reagan has always been a public favorite, especially among presidential history. Many people view him as an iconic political figure, who made bold decisions as part of his leadership. Reagan has been credited with numerous feats and failures, such as, reducing the poverty rate by cutting taxes and increasing defense spending, negotiating a nuclear arms reduction agreement with the Soviets to bringRead MoreRonald Reagan s Accomplishments And Accomplishments1514 Words   |  7 PagesAA35 Dr. Reese English 102 30 October 2017 Ronald Reagan Era From Hollywood to the White House, Ronald Reagan has always been a public favorite, especially among presidential history. Many people view him as an iconic political figure, who made bold decisions as part of his leadership. Reagan has been credited with numerous feats and failures, such as, reducing the poverty rate by cutting taxes and increasing defense spending, negotiating a nuclear arms reduction agreement with the Soviets to bringRead MoreThe Regan Doctrine1315 Words   |  6 Pages Strayer University The Regan Doctrine President Regan was born on February 6, 1911 in Tampico, Illinois. In a family of 3 boys he was the youngest. His father was a traveling shoe salesman. Reagans mother taught Reagan how to read at an early age. Most of Reagans childhood was spent in Dixon, Illinois. Reagan attended and graduated from Eureka College a small religious school around Peoria, Illinois. He majored in economics, was president of the student body, played on the football