Détente and the Turning Point in the Arms Race
During the period of détente, the superpowers had evenly matched nuclear capabilities and worked together to limit the growth of nuclear stockpiles. This era of relative cooperation was a crucial phase in Superpower relations and the Cold War.
However, the arms race took a significant turn with Ronald Reagan's presidency. In his famous "Evil Empire" speech on March 23, 1983, Reagan addressed the nation, referring to the Soviet Union as an evil empire.
Quote: Reagan's speech marked a shift in rhetoric, calling the Soviet Union an "Evil Empire" and signaling a more confrontational approach.
Reagan also introduced the Strategic Defensive Initiative (SDI), commonly known as "Star Wars." This program aimed to create a space-based defense system against nuclear missiles, representing a massive turning point in the arms race.
The timeline of key events in the early Cold War includes:
- 1944: D-Day
- 1945: Yalta Conference (February), VE Day (May 8), Potsdam Conference (July), Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings (August)
- 1946: George Kennan's Long Telegram (February 22), Winston Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech
Highlight: George Kennan's Long Telegram, sent on February 22, 1946, was a pivotal document that shaped US Cold War policy.
Kennan reported that Stalin wanted to see the destruction of capitalism and felt the world outside the Soviet Union was hostile and looking to destroy communism. This analysis led to the policy of "containment" to stop the spread of communism.
These events set the stage for the decades-long Cold War between the capitalist West and the communist East.