The Research On The Anti-nuclear Peace Movement Of America In Reagan Era (1981-1989)

The late 1970s and early 1980s, the relaxative US-Soviet relations of the past 10 years was ended and into a nervous new Cold War tension with the deployment of intermediate range nuclear missiles in Eastern Europe and the invasion of Afghanistan. President Reagan began to perform the "new containment" strategy by developing armaments, especially nuclear arms, to contest overall military advantage with the Soviet Union from 1981.A large-scale anti-nuclear peace movement broke out with escalation of US-Soviet nuclear arms race. As a political movement, the U.S. anti-nuclear peace movement in the Reagan era had a significant impact to international relations and world peace of the Cold War.The objectives, organization, tactics of the U.S. anti-nuclear movement of Reagan era was different from the same period in European's and has its own characteristics. The main objectives of the U.S. anti-nuclear peace movement in this era was to abolish nuclear weapons establish a nuclear-free world and eliminate wars. In the strategy of anti-nuclear movement, they took the forms of planned advocacy and action, civil disobedience, non-violent, direct mail, supporting political candidates and others. The participants and supporters of anti-nuclear movement came from all layers of society of which the religious organizations the Labor Party and the leftist groups played a particularly prominent role.It included nuclear freeze movement, comprehensive nuclear test ban movement, direct action movement and nuclear-free zones movement of the U.S. anti-nuclear movement. The nuclear freeze movement was the most important anti-nuclear movements in President Reagan's first term and has had a significant impact. The comprehensive nuclear test ban movement was developed when the nuclear freeze movement was declined and continued the wave of American anti-nuclear movement. The direct action movement was the most radical form in American anti-nuclear movement. Nevertheless, it was modest compared with some of Europe's anti-nuclear movement. The nuclear-free zone movement was for excluding the nuclear weapons from their own districts with Europe and other areas.The American anti-nuclear movement in Reagan era had great significance in keeping world peace, reducing the risk of nuclear war, supporting European anti-nuclear peace movement. However, it also exposed some problems, such as violent doctrine and extremism of some organizations and individuals to show its historical limitation.The first part traced the origins of the U.S. anti-nuclear peace movement and introduced the background of the anti-nuclear peace movement during the Reagan era, including the US-Soviet "new Cold War" and the actions of Europe.The second part analysed the objectives, organization and tactics of the U.S. anti-nuclear peace movement in the Reagan era.The third section described the process of the U.S. anti-nuclear peace movement in the Reagan era, including the nuclear freeze movement, comprehensive nuclear test ban movement, direct action campaigns, and nuclear-free zones movement.The forth Part simply analyzed the significances and limitations of the U.S. anti-nuclear peace movement.In short, the U.S. anti-nuclear peace movement in the Reagan era has an important stimulated usefulness and significant reference to the study of contemporary social movement in China and the world.