'Second Cold War'

• What period do historians refer to as the 'Second Cold War'?

  The period marked by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and Ronald Reagan's first term as president
• What event marked the beginning of the Second Cold War?

  The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979
• How did US-Soviet relations change at the beginning of the 1980s?

  They became more hostile
• What was the aim of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?

  To install a pro-Soviet government
• What were the financial and human costs of the conflict between the Soviet Union and the Mujahideen?

  The conflict cost the Soviet Union $80 billion and resulted in the death of 15,000 Soviet troops

  
• How did Reagan's presidency differ from that of Carter and Nixon regarding the Soviet Union?

  Reagan did not want to collaborate with the Soviet Union
• What was one of Reagan's intentions regarding communism?

  To 'roll back' and 'eliminate' communism
• What was the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)?

  A program aimed at destroying the Soviet economy and the Soviet Union itself
• When did Ronald Reagan become the President of the USA?

  In 1981
• What was Reagan's political affiliation?

  Republican
• What was Reagan's profession before entering politics?

  Actor
• How did Reagan view communism?

  As a significant threat to the USA
• What percentage of GDP did the USA spend on defense in 1982?

  Almost 7%
• What was the Reagan Doctrine?

  A policy to support anti-communist groups attempting to overthrow communist governments
• Which countries did the US government finance anti-communist efforts in?

  El Salvador and Grenada
• What was the purpose of Reagan's speech on 8th March 1983?

  To express his opinions on communism and the Soviet Union
• How did Reagan's actions compare to US policy at the start of the Cold War?

  They were similar to the policy of containment
• What was the nickname for the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)?

  'Star Wars'
• When was the SDI introduced?

  In 1983
• What was the main capability of the satellites involved in the SDI?

  To shoot down Soviet missiles by laser
• What was the impact of the SDI announcement on the Soviet Union?

  It shocked the Soviet Union and highlighted their economic struggles
• How did the SDI violate international treaties?

  It broke the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which banned military use of space
• What did the SDI reveal about the technological capabilities of the USA compared to the Soviet Union?

  It showed the USA had a technological advantage
• Who became the new Soviet leader in 1985?

  Mikhail Gorbachev
• What was a part of Gorbachev's policy called 'new thinking' aimed at?

  To reform the Soviet economy
• What was the consequence of the SDI on the relationship between the USA and the Soviet Union?


  It worsened US-Soviet relations
• How did the SDI contribute to the collapse of the Soviet Union?

  It forced the Soviet Union to reform due to economic pressures
• What was the main focus of the US military spending during Reagan's presidency?

  To counter the threat of communism
• How did the US economy compare to the Soviet economy during the 1980s?

  The US economy was more advanced and capable of outspending the Soviet Union
• What was the significance of the Olympic boycotts in the context of the Second Cold War?

  They highlighted the tensions between the USA and the Soviet Union

  
• What was the relationship between the US invasion of Grenada and Kennedy's invasion of Cuba?

  Both aimed to overthrow a communist government
• What was the impact of the SDI on the technological gap between the USA and the Soviet Union?

  It increased the technological gap
• How did the SDI serve as a tactic in the Cold War?

  It was used to force the Soviet Union to collapse or accept defeat
• What was the significance of the SDI in the context of the Cold War?

  It represented a shift towards more aggressive US policies against the Soviet Union
• What was the main goal of the US military spending during Reagan's presidency?

  To counter the threat of communism
• How did the SDI reflect the economic capabilities of the USA compared to the Soviet Union?

  It showed that the USA could outspend the Soviet Union
• What was the broader impact of Reagan's policies on the Cold War?

  They increased tensions back to levels seen in the 1950s and 1960s
• What was the main focus of Reagan's foreign policy?

  To confront and eliminate communism
• How did Reagan's presidency influence the perception of communism in the USA?

  It reinforced the view of communism as a significant threat
• How did the SDI contribute to the perception of the USA's technological superiority?

  It highlighted the USA's advanced technology compared to the Soviet Union