The Reagan Years: 1981-89

1. The Reagan Years: 1981-89 Adapted from a work created by the University of Nebraska at Omaha

2. How did Reagan�s arms strategies contribute to the fall of the Soviet Union? Clarifying question[All notes you take need to help you answer the following question]

3. President Reagan called for a more authoritative [aggressive, serious] stance towards the U.S.S.R. The Reagan administration placed competition and possibility of war with Soviet Union at the center of its defense & foreign policy strategies. Pursued large build-up of U.S military forces Took a more active stance towards combating Communist insurgencies

4. Reagan Doctrine Called for helping anti-Communist movements around the globe in order to stop the spread of communism: Nicaragua: aid for the contras (anti-Sandinista guerillas). Afghanistan: aid for Mujahadeen tribesmen. Angola: aid for UNITA Note � assistance for movements hoping to topple Communist governments �rollback�Note � assistance for movements hoping to topple Communist governments �rollback�

5. Increased defense spending Military budgets increased for six straight years (FY1980-85). Reagan Administration spent about $2.4 trillion on defense programs in 8 years. Defense budgets rose to $290-300 billion annually. At end of Reagan Admin, defense spending cut back. Real increase attributable to Reagan admin more than $500 billion.At end of Reagan Admin, defense spending cut back. Real increase attributable to Reagan admin more than $500 billion.

6. Federal budget was money spent on� Maintenance, training, and military salaries. New weapons systems: B-1 bomber Trident II missile MX missile Cruise missiles new ships

7. Strategic Defense Initiative [S.D.I.] S.D.I. was announced in March of 1983 a/k/a �Star Wars� by the American press. The military program sought to develop a defensive system to destroy incoming nuclear missiles from outer space. The program was criticized by scientists, Congress and government watchdog groups as �unrealistic, even unscientific.� Also it was feared that the program would further accelerate a nuclear arms race between the U.S. and U.S.S.R.. The system was never deployed due to excessive costs and lack of Congressional support. Sought to develop a system of surveillance and tracking systems along with various devices to destroy incoming missiles (ground-based, laser, kinetic � �brilliant pebbles�) SDIO (office) spending $3.1 billion by 1986 to pursue research into needed technologies. As envisioned, never implemented/developed, but AB systems put under SDIO, fosters new ABM tech. Becomes bargaining chip Sought to develop a system of surveillance and tracking systems along with various devices to destroy incoming missiles (ground-based, laser, kinetic � �brilliant pebbles�) SDIO (office) spending $3.1 billion by 1986 to pursue research into needed technologies. As envisioned, never implemented/developed, but AB systems put under SDIO, fosters new ABM tech. Becomes bargaining chip

8. Strategic Defense Initiative [S.D.I.] The S.D.I. program was criticized by scientists, Congress and government watchdog groups as �unrealistic, even unscientific.� Also it was feared that the program would further accelerate a nuclear arms race between the U.S. and U.S.S.R.. The system was never deployed due to excessive costs and lack of Congressional support. Sought to develop a system of surveillance and tracking systems along with various devices to destroy incoming missiles (ground-based, laser, kinetic � �brilliant pebbles�) SDIO (office) spending $3.1 billion by 1986 to pursue research into needed technologies. As envisioned, never implemented/developed, but AB systems put under SDIO, fosters new ABM tech. Becomes bargaining chip Sought to develop a system of surveillance and tracking systems along with various devices to destroy incoming missiles (ground-based, laser, kinetic � �brilliant pebbles�) SDIO (office) spending $3.1 billion by 1986 to pursue research into needed technologies. As envisioned, never implemented/developed, but AB systems put under SDIO, fosters new ABM tech. Becomes bargaining chip

9. Other effects� 1980-86: U.S. national debt doubled due to excessive military spending. Debt service payments tripled [interest on loans]. Waste & fraud in defense procurement reaches alarming levels. $400-$500 for a hammer? $250 toilet seats? [Some construction contractors hired by the U.S. federal government were drastically overbilling for materials.] Waste � partly accounting procedures, partly mil off wanting custom specifications that perhaps unreasonable, partly defense contractors taking advantage of the system, with not enough contracting oversight.Waste � partly accounting procedures, partly mil off wanting custom specifications that perhaps unreasonable, partly defense contractors taking advantage of the system, with not enough contracting oversight.

10. Arms control: Strategic Arms Reduction Talks [S.T.A.R.T.] U.S.-U.S.S.R. negotiations from 1981-91. Almost produced an agreement during Reagan-Gorbachev meeting at Reykjavik, Iceland, 1986. Summit failed on issue of SDI START talks produced a treaty in 1991

11. Reagan & NATO U.S.: Convinces allies within NATO to continue deployment of Pershing II & GLCMs [Ground Launched Missiles], and to spend more for defense. Army and USAF got NATO to adopt �AirLand Battle� as common doctrine for defeating a Warsaw Pact invasion. Allies: pushed U.S. on negotiations to reduce theater nuclear and conventional forces. 2-track policy2-track policy

12. December 1987: INF Treaty U.S. & U.S.S.R. agreed to eliminate all their intermediate-range (300-3,400 mile) ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles. Included provisions for on-site inspections by neutral third party weapons inspectors. All such missiles and related equipment were destroyed by May 1991. Intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF)Intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF)

13. Changes in the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev: General Secretary of the Communist Party, 1985-91. Sought better relations with the West [U.S. and its allies]. Gorbachev pursued internal reforms such as: Perestro?ka-a domestic policy established to undermine internal Soviet corruption and provide transparency through a �new openness.� The old communist government was very secretive and corrupt. Glasnost-was the decentralization of the Soviet regime and is believed to have created resentment from within the Soviet leadership and eventually led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

14. Gorbachev: Foreign Policy Highlights 1986, met with President Reagan in Reykjavik, Iceland. Though meeting failed in the near term, ultimately it led to: INF Treaty, 1987 START Treaty, 1991 1988, announced U.S.S.R.: Would pull its troops out of Afghanistan. Would allow Eastern bloc countries to determine their own internal affairs without Soviet interference. Would unilaterally begin reducing conventional forces [soldiers, sailors, airmen] in Europe. Latter will facilitate, Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (or CFE Treaty).Latter will facilitate, Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (or CFE Treaty).

15. �Democracy� and Boris Yeltsin Communist party moderate Boris Yeltsin became the first popularly elected president of Russia. Yeltsin expanded free market reforms started under Gorbachev and was even able to stave off [avoid] a civil war in 1991 when the Soviet army refused to follow orders from groups opposed to democracy to overthrow Yeltsin. Unfortunately in the 12 years after Yeltsin left office the nation has again slid toward authoritarian rule under Vladimir Putin.

16. How did Reagan�s arms strategies contribute to the fall of the Soviet Union? Re-examining the Clarifying question[All notes you take need to help you answer the following question]