When He Took Office in 1980, What Action did President Reagan Take Regarding The Cold War?

When He Took Office in 1980, What Action did President Reagan take Regarding The Cold War?

When President Ronald Reagan took office in 1980, the United States was in the midst of the Cold War, a prolonged conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union that lasted from the end of World War II until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Reagan's approach to the Cold War was marked by a hardline stance against the Soviet Union, which he believed was an evil empire that threatened the United States and its allies. In this essay, I will discuss the various actions that President Reagan took regarding the Cold War, including his military buildup, his foreign policy initiatives, and his strategic arms negotiations with the Soviet Union.

One of President Reagan's key actions regarding the Cold War was his military buildup. Reagan believed that the United States needed to maintain a strong military presence in order to deter the Soviet Union from taking aggressive action. He believed that the United States needed to increase its military spending in order to modernize its weapons and equipment, and to build new weapons systems that could counter the Soviet threat. To this end, Reagan pushed for a significant increase in defense spending, which he achieved by passing the Defense Department Appropriations Act of 1981. This act provided funding for a wide range of military programs, including the development of new weapons systems, the modernization of existing weapons, and the expansion of the military's presence around the world.

Another key action that President Reagan took regarding the Cold War was his foreign policy initiatives. Reagan believed that the United States needed to take a more aggressive stance against the Soviet Union, and he pursued a policy of "peace through strength." This policy involved not only a military buildup, but also a series of diplomatic initiatives aimed at isolating the Soviet Union and weakening its influence around the world. Reagan believed that the United States needed to support anti-communist forces around the world, and he provided military and financial aid to countries such as Afghanistan, Nicaragua, and Angola, which were fighting against communist governments or insurgencies supported by the Soviet Union.

Reagan's foreign policy initiatives also included efforts to strengthen the alliances that the United States had with other countries around the world. He believed that the United States needed to work closely with its allies to counter the Soviet threat, and he pursued a policy of increased cooperation with countries such as Great Britain, France, and West Germany. He also worked to build new alliances with countries in Asia, such as Japan and South Korea, and he pursued closer ties with countries in the Middle East, such as Israel and Saudi Arabia.

In addition to his military buildup and his foreign policy initiatives, President Reagan also pursued strategic arms negotiations with the Soviet Union. Reagan believed that the United States needed to find a way to reduce the nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union, and he pursued a series of arms control negotiations with the Soviet leadership. In 1985, Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev met for the first time in Geneva, Switzerland, where they began a series of talks aimed at reducing the number of nuclear weapons held by both countries.

Over the course of his presidency, Reagan pursued several arms control agreements with the Soviet Union, including the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). These agreements were designed to reduce the number of nuclear weapons held by both countries, and they represented a significant step forward in the effort to reduce the threat of nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union.

In conclusion, when President Reagan took office in 1980, he pursued a hardline stance against the Soviet Union, which he believed was an evil empire that threatened the United States and its allies. His approach to the Cold War was marked by a military buildup, a series of foreign policy initiatives aimed at weakening the Soviet Union, and strategic arms negotiations aimed at reducing the nuclear arms race.