SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative

Ronald ReaganWatch first 3 min.

MAD: Mutual Assured Destruction

Use of high-yield wmd’s by two opposing sides would effectively result in the annihilation of both the attacker and the defender.

Neither side, once armed, has any rational incentive either to initiate a conflict or to disarm.

SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative

Space based missile defense system Scientist Edward Teller promotes “Star Wars” nickname from media 1983 speech: “Defend our people rather than avenge them.”

Zero Option We would not deploy Pershing II Cruise

missiles in Europe if, The Soviets would remove their SS-4

and SS-5 ICBM. Soviets viewed this as giving up

something for nothing. (0) Wanted SDI

SDI

Reagan labels the Soviets as the “evil empire”

Soviets walk out of the zero option talks.

SDI Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the new leader of the Soviet Union.

Glasnost: openness or restructuring

1987 Reagan and Gorbachev meet in Iceland.

Agree to remove ICBM in Europe.

Reagan recants evil empire comment.