what is reagan doctrine? Why it can end the cold war?

Answer 1

The Reagan Doctrine was the concept of fortifying the US military capability to proactively put the Soviet Union at a disadvantage. Not necessarily by having more military "stuff" than the Soviets, but by having much better "stuff".

Prior to Reagan, the US had almost conceded military superiority to the Soviet Union.

The Reagan doctrine also was to confront the Soviet expansionary tendencies, rather than to just attempt to pacify them.

The goal, as others have pointed out correctly, was to weaken the Soviet economy and government infrastructure by forcing them to try and keep up with our military growth.

Reagan, and his subordinates, saw that the Soviet Union was large and menancing, but not very sturdy. Sort of like a huge mansion that is built with cheap wood and vinyl siding. It didn't take much to cause it to topple.

In addition to the military race that the Soviet Union couldn't afford to try and win, the general growth of communications and the inevitable free flow of information caused the Soviet Union to try and relax their grip on their satellite states. They weren't able to effectively manage this "relaxing", and eventually the satellite states broke off with their independence, and the Soviets were in no shape to try and reign them back in. It all fell apart very quickly.

In a figurative sense, Reagan called their bluff. He didn't think they could maintain the military apparatus that made them so powerful for so long. You need a very robust economy in order to have a powerful military. They didn't have such an economy. Reagan saw this and played our poker hand accordingly, resulting in the Soviet Union folding at the table.

Answer 2

Reagan Doctrine

Answer 3

Well, it didn't really end the cold war -- the fact that we still shudder every time Russia even talks about their nuclear arsenal is proof of that.

Reagan's doctrine (really Reagan's *aides'* doctrine, but he gets credit) was to spend so much on weapons and make so many of them, that the Soviet Union would go broke trying to keep up. While their expenditures on weapons were one of the causes of the USSR's downfall, it wasn't the only one by any means. And Reagan's doctrine also put the US into a huge deficit, which took us years to get out of (and then W put us right back in it and then some).
Reagan's policies were a contributing factor to the collapse of the Soviet Union, but not the cause. And it came at a very heavy price...

Answer 4

That should not be a question, The reagan Doctrine "DID". end the cold war, not why it can....."IT DID"!

Answer 5

Oh fund the freedom fighters in afghanistan.Osama bin laden and the pre curser to al queada.Supply them with enough weapons and money that eventually they outspend russia and russia falls.