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Year 11
Edexcel

Reagan and the 'Second Cold War'

I can explain why there was a sharp increase in Cold War tensions after Reagan was elected as US President.

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New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

Reagan and the 'Second Cold War'

I can explain why there was a sharp increase in Cold War tensions after Reagan was elected as US President.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Reagan was strongly anti-communist and made it clear that fighting communism would be the focus of his foreign policy.
  2. Reagan’s tougher approach to the USSR led to a period of increased tension and hostility known as the Second Cold War.
  3. Reagan inflamed tensions by describing the USSR as 'evil' and adopting an aggressive approach towards negotiations.
  4. Reagan's announcement of the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) in 1983 caused great alarm in the USSR.
  5. Reagan hoped that Soviet attempts to ensure they could compete in the arms race would cause their economy to collapse.

Common misconception

The Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) was fully operational when it was announced by Reagan in 1983.

Although they were technologically more advanced than the USSR, the USA did not have the necessary technology to launch SDI in 1983. Reagan hoped the USSR would attempt to compete and this would cause their struggling economy to collapse.

Keywords

  • Cold War - a period between c. 1945 and c. 1991 of intense rivalry and tension between the USA and the USSR

  • Doctrine - a set of principles or beliefs

  • Deterrent - something that discourages or prevents an action or behaviour by creating fear of the consequences

  • Limited nuclear war - a scenario where nuclear weapons are used on a smaller scale than in a full-scale nuclear exchange

  • Trade union - a group set up to represent and advocate for the rights and interests of workers

At the beginning of the lesson, introduce students to some of Reagan's speeches and ask them to infer his views about communism and suggest the impact this would have on US-Soviet relations. Students could be asked to compare Reagan's speeches to some of his predecessors.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In 1975, the leaders of 35 countries signed Accords on key international issues. Which city in Finland were these Accords named after?
Correct Answer: Helsinki
Q2.
Which word means the relaxation of tensions between states which were previously hostile towards one another?
Correct Answer: Détente , Detente
Q3.
The USA improved relations with the USSR and China in the hope of ending US involvement in which war in southeast Asia?
Chinese civil war
Korean War
Soviet-Afghan War
Correct answer: Vietnam War
Q4.
In 1980, 60 countries boycotted the Summer Olympic Games, which were held in which city?
Beijing, China
Helsinki, Finland
Los Angeles, USA
Correct answer: Moscow, USSR
Saigon, Vietnam
Q5.
Put the following events in chronological order.
1 - SALT I
2 - Helsinki Accords
3 - SALT II
4 - Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
5 - Speech known as the Carter Doctrine
Q6.
On 27th April 1978, the government in Afghanistan was overthrown by a communist group known as the __________.
Afghanistan Liberation Army
New People's Army of Afghanistan
Correct answer: People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan
Popular Revolutionary Army of Afghanistan

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Complete this statement by Reagan about his strategy for the Cold War: “Here’s my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they ”.
Correct Answer: lose
Q2.
The period of increased tensions between the superpowers under Reagan's presidency is known as what?
The Evil Empire
The Détente Years
Correct answer: The Second Cold War
The Third World War
Q3.
In 1983, the US invaded which Caribbean island in order to overthrow its communist government?
Cuba
Correct answer: Grenada
Haiti
Jamaica
Q4.
Reagan's belief that the USA could win a limited nuclear war against the USSR was based on a strategy known as __________.
AAA
MAD
MAGA
Correct answer: NUTS
SDI
Q5.
Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) of 1983 was given the nickname of which 1977 film?
Annie Hall
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Smokey and the Bandit
Correct answer: Star Wars
The Spy Who Loved Me
Q6.
Put the following US presidents in chronological order of their presidencies.
1 - Richard Nixon
2 - Gerald Ford
3 - Jimmy Carter
4 - Ronald Reagan

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