Question

How did president Ronald Reagan influence the end of the Cold War?

Answer 1

President Ronald Reagan's 'peace through strength' approach and diplomatic engagement with Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev played key roles in the end of the Cold War. However, the downfall of the Soviet Union and the rise of democratic movements in Eastern Europe were also critical factors, indicating that the end of the Cold War was a multifaceted event influenced by global dynamics and individual efforts.

Step-by-step explanation:

President Ronald Reagan played a significant role in the culmination of the Cold War through a strategy often summarized as "peace through strength". He increased defense spending by 35 percent, challenging the Soviet Union's ability to compete amid its own economic troubles. Reagan also fostered a relationship with Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev, leading to agreements such as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which eliminated an entire category of nuclear weapons and set the stage for further arms reduction. The Reagan Doctrine was emblematic of a forceful foreign policy that supported anti-Communist movements globally. Moreover, Reagan's initial aggressive stance began to soften later in his presidency as he and Gorbachev started dialogues on arms reduction, signaling a departure from the previous Cold War diplomacy.

However, it's paramount to recognize that the end of the Cold War cannot be solely attributed to Reagan's policies. The internal decay of the Soviet Union, the rise of democratic movements in Eastern Europe, and the broad push for global human rights played invaluable roles. This bottom-up momentum towards democracy and the loosening of Soviet control were tantamount to the fall of communist authoritarianism in several states and the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union itself.

Ultimately, grassroots efforts, global economic changes, and the policies of leaders like Reagan and Gorbachev collectively influenced the end of this era. Crediting Reagan alone fails to acknowledge the complex, multilayered nature of this historical shift and the pivotal contributions of individuals around the world striving for democratic change.

Answer 2

In the wake of World War II, a Cold War erupted between the world’s two superpowers—the United States and the Soviet Union. During the postwar era, the contest between their respective capitalist and communist systems manifested itself in a nuclear arms race, a space race, and several proxy wars. In the 1960s and 1970s, as the United States fought the Vietnam War and struggled internally with its aftermath and a faltering economy, the Russians seemed ascendant. Increasing oil prices globally led to a revenue windfall for oil-rich Russia, which paid for a massive arms buildup and supported communist insurrections that Russia backed in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Eventually, the policy of détente decreased tensions between the two countries and led to their signing the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) in 1972. SALT I, the first of two SALT agreements, limited the number of nuclear missiles either country could possess and banned the building of antiballistic missile (ABM) systems used to defend against nuclear strikes. The use of ABMs would have upset the stalemate represented by the possibility of mutual assured destruction (MAD)—the obliteration of both parties in a nuclear war—because it would allow one side to strike first and then defend itself against retaliation.

The December 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to prop up a puppet communist regime led President Jimmy Carter to seek increased military budgets and to withdraw from Senate consideration the recently signed SALT II treaty, which would have reduced both countries’ nuclear missiles, bombers, and other delivery vehicles. When Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980, he rejected détente and instituted a tough stance with Soviets designed to reverse their advances, topple communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, and win the Cold War. His administration supported freedom in Eastern Europe and the Polish resistance movement known as Solidarity; armed fighters resisting communism around the world, including the mujahideen in Afghanistan; and increased military spending to support peace through strength and to bankrupt the Soviet economy if it tried to match the increases. Reagan also launched an ideological crusade against the Soviet regime for violating inalienable rights and liberties.