Continued president discussions.
Notes:
Iran Hostage Crisis
- Between US and Iran; Iran had been a puppet of the US, Great Britain, France for a long time and many wanted to cut those strings; the leader was called “the Shaw” and he was who we supported and he came to the US in bad health because they were going to kill him; the deal was, give Iran the Shaw and they would give back the hostages
- Ayatollah (title; grand leader) Khomeini became the leader and established an Islamic revolution to go against the government that were pro-US; established this new government that was very based a lot on Islamic religions
- This government Iran took 52 Americans hostage for 444 days
- We attempted to rescue these people but it turned out to be a huge embarrassment for the US
- Iraq eventually invaded Iran and we were able to make a deal with Iran because they were too preoccupied with the Iraqi invasion
- January 20, 1981, the day Ronald Reagan officially became president, the hostages were released; Reagan got the credit for this at the time but he really didn’t do anything, Carter did
Ronald Reagan (R)-40th; 1981-1989
- Born in Illinois
- Was a radio broadcaster in Iowa, an actor, and Governor of California; also served in the military for a bit
Elections:
- 1980 election: between Carter and Reagan; Reagan won and it was a blowout, mainly because of what Carter had done
- 1984 election: Walter Mondale vs. Reagan; HUGE blowout; Reagan won; first a female vice president nominee
Assassination Attempt:
- March 30, 1981; 69 days after Reagan had been sworn in
- John Hinckley Jr. was a completely insane and he had an obsession with Jodie Foster after he saw her in Taxi Driver, and in this movie he looked up to Robert DeNiro who killed the president and thought that doing something big like that would impress Foster and win her over; before this, he’d been stalking Foster a lot and she got a restraining order; so he shot Reagan, who didn’t die, and James Brady, who was paralyzed for the rest of his life
- Hinckley was declared insane and got off on that; has been in a mental asylum ever since
Accomplishments:
- Very against the Soviet Union- publicly described the Soviet Union as an “evil empire”; supported anti-Communist movements worldwide; opposed to détente because, if the Cold War was going to end, they had to be against each other not just going with the status quo; ordered a massive military buildup in an arms race with the USSR; Reagan upset the balance between the two countries
- Reagan and Gorbachev- Ending the Cold War: had numerous meetings with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (was loved worldwide, a hero, given the Nobel Peace Prize, yet his country hated him because they still saw him as the communist leader who wasn’t giving them their freedom, even though he was letting that happen; last leader of the Soviet Union) which helped bring an end to the Cold War
Why did we win the Cold War?
- We had close ties with our Allies and the USSR didn’t
- China started siding with us after 1972
- The Soviet economy was in shambles whereas the US’s was flourishing
- Huge deficit
- High inflation
- Corruption
- Social problems (they were focused on military and not the people’s needs)
- Shortage of basic needs (food, housing, etc.)
- The strong anti-communist presidency of Reagan
- Gorbachev’s willingness for change and reform
- Glasnost and perestroika- willingness for the gov’t to open up and change
- Admitted Soviet mistakes
- Took blame for the Cold War
- Communist system had failed
- Allowed Eastern Europe to do what they wanted
- Arms Reduction Talks
- SALT, INF, Reagan-Gorbachev meetings
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