What was the state of relations between USSR and US during Reagon's first term in office?

Question

A.relations were very cool
B.neither warmed nor cooled
C.rellations were officially broken
D.improved a great deal

Answer 1

Actually it was B.

The apex of competition between the superpowers was during the sixties. Cuba, Vietnam, Arab/Israeli struggles, rise of the Soviet Navy into a blue water fleet, Soviets achieving parity in nuclear forces, wars for liberation, rise of the third world all were examples of this apex. By the 70's, detente was an expression of the stagnation of the conflict and the true beginnings of the Soviet Union's decline in real power, which I would define as the ability to motivate their peoples and allies to sacrifice for the conflict in the west. By the time Reagan was president, the China card had been played successfully by Nixon to divide the PRC from the Soviets, Russians were dieing in Afghanistan, the Soviet economy was in real decline and its abilities to support its allies began to significantly decrease. It was against this backdrop that Reagan put increasing political pressure against the USSR--but not so much as to directly challenge military power.

Answer 2

You know you are trying to put the answer in a multiple choice scenario. It wasn't. Everyone thought "the button" was just a heartbeat away, but we were Americans. Attack us, we will attack back. That was the general consensus. They would attack us. Then we would retaliate.

The joke before Reagan was elected was " what is red and looks like liver? IRAN!"

Americans fully expected Reagan to be the president to "nuke" Iran. The USSR was our opponent to all things against us. So your multiple choice...............none of the above.

What I am trying to say, The US was bowing up then, like they bow up now!

Answer 3

A

Answer 4

B. Relations gradually changed thanks to Gorbachev, not Reagan.

Answer 5

E.