Ronald Reagan came into office in January 1981 with a simplistic view of politics and new type of leadership.

Reagan's policies:

Viewed the Soviets as the bad guys and the US as the good guys
Majority of his views were shaped by the think tank of anti-communist advisers called the Committee on the Present Danger
Reagan followed this think tank's ideas and supported anti-communist forces in Afghanistan and Nicaragua
Dramatically increased the US defence budget ($32.6 billion in his first two weeks in office)
Introduced new weapons, such as the B1 nuclear bomber
In 1982, he commenced the Strategic Defense Initiative (create a system using satellites and lasers to destroy missiles)
Reagan's policies meant the USSR could not keep up
Critics argue his policies were about money, as many defence companies had donated to his electoral campaign

Reagan's Impact:

Reagan's investment in weapons development left the US in $4 trillion of debt
Many of Europe's leaders at the time supported his tough stance against the USSR
Reagan's success was helped by the ageing politicians of the USSR
Soviet leaders could not cope with Reagan's actions, especially while their economy was suffering