Thatcher and Reagan: the end of Détente, 1979-1981

Thatcher and Reagan: the end of Détente, 1979-1981

1. Election Victories

   • Thatcher elected British PM in 1979
     • Reagan elected President 1980
       • Both leaders represented a new kind of conservatism
         • Determined to revitalise capitalism at home and stand up to communism abroad

2. The Thatcher-Reagan love-in

   • Named a 'love-in' because 'Thatcherism' and 'Reaganomics' were similar in many ways
     • Both were committed to the same things
       • Encouraging free enterprise by 'rolling back the state'
         • T and R believed that govt spending and high taxes dominated the 2 economies
           • Believed that high taxes and government interference were damaging to private enterprise
       • Defence spending
         • Both leaders committed to expanding govt defence spending
           • Specifically - both dedicated to new gen of nuclear missiles called Trident
             • Presented problems for USSR - growing imbalance of economic power meant that USSR could not afford to keep pace with West on defence spending
       • Standing up to the 'Evil Empire'
         • R and T had similar view of the USSR
           • Both believed that comm was a moral evil that the West had a duty to oppose

3. Reagan In Power

   • Reagan was more important partner in the T-R relationship
     • R's foreign policy was designed to assert US strength and weaken position of USSR
       • Did this in the following ways:
         • Restricted trade with USSR to deny them access to superior Western technology
         • Committed US govt to massive defence project - Strategic Defence Initiative - SDI
           • Known as 'star wars' as it consisted of a space-based nuclear shield
             • R proposed a fleet of US satellites armed with lasers that would shoot down Soviet Missile before they could harm US
         • R increased support for anti-Soviet regimes and organisations in the 3rd World
         • Used confrontation rhetoric - including the phrase 'Evil Empire' to describe USSR
         • However, R did not seek war
           • In fact - in an attempt to reach out to Soviet leaders - he lifted the grain embargo that Carter imposed in 1980

4. Significance of Reagan's policies

   • Star Wars was particularly significant - new policy worried Soviet leaders for 2 reasons
     • Soviet leaders knew they'd be unable to compete with SDI
       • During 70s - USA had produced sophisticated computer tech which far surpassed anything available in USSR
         • This tech would form basis of SDI
           • Economic problems in Eastern Bloc and renewed growth in West pushed the economic balance further in favour of West
             • Soviet leaders knew that they couldn't match the USA's spending commitment to SDI
     • 'Star Wars' implied that R was contemplating a 'winnable nuclear war'
       • Space-based missile shield could - in theory - counter a Soviet nuclear attack, allowing US to survive a nuclear war unscathed
         • Therefore - USSR's nuclear arsenal would no longer deter a US nuclear strike - an end to the safety of MAD
     • R's new confrontational style was significant as it increased superpower tensions hugely
       • Gromyko - senior member of Russian govt - noted an increased 'chill' in superpower relations from R's inauguration in Jan 1981
         • R made inflammatory off-the-cuff remarks about the possibility of a 'limited nuclear war in Europe' which caused great concern to comm leaders

5. Timeline of the US decline in commitment to Détente

   • 1976 - Fierce criticism of D during presidential election
     • 1977 - Carter - a critic of D- becomes US president
       • 1977 - SALT II negotiation difficulties - Carter demands lower ceilings
         • 1979 - Soviets invade Afghanistan - US criticisms of D increase
           • 1980 - Carter demands Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan and introduces grain embargo
             • 1981 - Reagan - committed to ending Détente - becomes US president