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Ronald Reagan

In 1980 Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States (his matching number in Moscow was still the ailing Brezhnev). Reagan was a committed Republican and anti-communist who, in a speech to the National Association of Evangelicals, referred to the Soviet Union as ‘that evil empire'.

Reagan increased US defence spending by $32.6 billion and planned to spend it on:

• The Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI), nicknamed ‘Star Wars’ after the popular film, was a plan 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, had it been initiated, would have swung the nuclear balance strongly in the USA’s favour.
• The US military developed a neutron bomb. The Soviet Union described the neutron bomb as ‘a capitalist weapon’ because it was designed to destroy people while leaving their property intact. While the USSR did not have a neutron bomb of its own, it did upgrade the armour on its tanks and armoured personnel carriers in order to deal with the threat.

The Soviet Union’s economy was struggling and the cost of matching such a programme was too high. They were also very suspicious of the computer-technology that was required to support such a programme and had not invested in it. SDI was the final straw breaker – the USSR could no longer afford to keep up with America in the arms race.

Ronald Reagan's 'Evil Empire' speech:

Revision tip

When you examine any source, you should consider the historical context and what was happening at that time, as well as looking at the language closely. By March 1983, Reagan had proved he was not going to follow the policy of détente and was more than prepared for a ‘Second Cold War’. What phrases show that he was really committed to this policy?

Mikhail Gorbachev

• Gorbachev famously got on with other world leaders – Margaret Thatcher said: I like Mr Gorbachev, we can do business together. Thatcher and Reagan already had a very good friendship and the personal relationships between the three leaders made it easier for the superpowers to maintain diplomatic talks. There was an enthusiastic reaction to Gorbachev’s arrival in many Western countries which was called ‘Gorbymania ’ by the press.
• In April 1986, the Ukrainian nuclear power plant at Chernobyl went into meltdown and exploded. Gorbachev approved a cover up that denied there had been any radiation leak but it was clear to Western powers there had been. The cost of containing and decontaminating the area was an estimated eighteen million roubles and almost bankrupted the USSR. Chernobyl was a powerful symbol of the problems in communism.
• Gorbachev’s policies of glasnost and perestroika (a freer economy including competition and incentives to produce goods) kicked off the slow reform of the Soviet Union’s political system.
• Realising the USSR could never out-spend the USA, Gorbachev began to cut spending on nuclear weapons. He initiated the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START) with the USA and in 1987 signed a deal to limit the production of Intermediate Range Nuclear Missiles.

Peace talks and summits