The End of the Cold War

The precise causes of the end of the Cold War are debatable, but there are several factors that you should keep in mind.

Reagan started his presidency determined to restore the military might and superpower prestige of the US and to intensify the Cold War competition with the Soviet Union. He called the Soviet Communists “the evil empire” and “focus of evil in the modern world.”

#Star Wars

The Reagan administration spent billions to build new weapons systems. The emphasis would be on new weapons, ranging from the B-1 bomber, the MX missile, and expansion of the navy from 456 to 600 ships. The US sped up research and the development of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)), an antimissile system based on the use of lasers and particle beams to destroy incoming missiles in outer space. It was dubbed “star wars” by the media. Reagan defended the system as a legitimate attempt to free the US from the deadly trap of deterrence, with its threat of nuclear retaliation to keep the peace.

#Central America

The US supported regimes seeking political change and embraced revolutionary tactics. That is exactly what happened in Nicaragua. The Sandinista coalition finally succeeded in overthrowing the authoritarian regime. Reagan accused the Sandinistas of driving out the moderates, welcoming Cuban advisers and Soviet military assistance, and serving as a supply base for leftist guerillas in nearby El Salvador.

Reagan asked Congress for the money and authority to oust the Sandinistas. Congress was fearful of a repeated Vietnam fiasco and refused. Reagan then opted for covert action. The CIA began supplying the Contras, exiles fighting against the Sandinistas from based in Honduras and Costa Rica. They tried to disrupt the economy, raiding villages, blowing up oil tanks and even mining harbors.

#Iran-Contra Affair

There was concern over the fate of 6 Americans held hostage in Lebanon by groups thought to be loyal to Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini. The administration proposed trading American anti tank missiles to Iran in return for the release of the hostages. The Iranians were desperate for weapons for the war which they were fighting with Iraq. Iran seemed open to the de...