The U.S. Foreign Policy Towards The Soviet Union From 1981 To 1983

Since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan came in 1979,the US-Soviet Cold war has entered in the new phase of “warm war” escalating confrontation from “relative détente”.Ronald Reagan,the 40 th president of the United States,came into office on January 20,1981,signed “National Security Directive No.66” and “ Directive NO.75” during his first term.An overhaul of American foreign policy towards the Soviet,implemented a positive “return” “push” strategy from containment to direct confrontation.“Polish Crisis” opened the prelude of Reagan Administration's hard policy to the Soviet from 1981 to 1983.Politically and ideologically,the United States actively intervened and issued “the Statement of Sanctions Action” after enforcing martial law in Poland.Then Reagan visited Europe to coordinate positions of the U.S.and Europe,and delivered “Westminster Speech” to preach launching “the Crusades”conquest to the Soviet in ideological field.The U.S.hit the Soviet economy,increased the grain embargo,strictly managed and controlled export of energy technology and equipment,and decreased chances of the Soviet's access to high-tech.Trying to drag down the Soviet in military,Reagan administration substantially increased U.S.military expenditure,strongly promoted the renewal of military science and technology,Forced the Soviet to devote more economic resources to the arms race.In terms of regional security,Reagan Administration adopted an a policy of the “limited pushback push” strategy to directly confront the Soviet expansion,used kinds of covert means to support and help global anti-Soviet forces such as Anti-Soviet guerrillas in Afghanistan,Solidarity Union in Poland and others anti-Soviet forces.The evolution of the international cold war is basically controlled by the foreign policy Reagan Administration adjusting towards the Soviet.Although the Soviet has been narrowing the power gap with the United States after the rapid economic development in the 1970 s,the United States still has the advantage of comprehensive national strength in US-Soviet Cold War.What's more,diplomatic relations between China and the U.S.establishing and the strategic relationship among China,the U.S.and the Soviet shaping,paved the way to American implementation of a policy of the“backward push” strategy to the Soviet.The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and its global expansion,seriously threatened American hegemony and strategic advantage,which accelerated American hard policy towards the Soviet.Improvement of US-Europe relations,coordination of US-UK policy between America and Europe,provided important policy tool support for American hard policy towards the Soviet.New liberalism economic reform Reagan advocated led to America economy out of stagflation quagmire,provided strong strategic support and solid strategic foundation for American hard policy towards the Soviet.“Reaganism”,Pursuing the supremacy of power,emphasizing the pursuit of “strength for peace.As a staunch conservative in political standpoint,Reagan's stubborn political idea of anti-Soviet and anti-Communist,led him to tend to choose to a bluntly confrontational approach to the Soviet.In other words,Political and diplomatic philosophy of Reagan has been driving the implementation of American hard policy towards the Soviet.Besides,“domestic new neoconservatism”,the Republican Party's control of the Senate,political operations of presidential election and the Soviet countermeasures all contributed to the Reagan Administration's adjustment of policy towards the Soviet.The implementation of American hard policy towards the Soviet drove the escalation of the US-Soviet International Cold War.Thus the US-Soviet Cold War entered the final stage of intensified competition in Politics,economy,military and other fields.The far-reaching policy blocked the Soviet's strategic offensive situation and increased global tensions.Reagan Administration's policy towards the Soviet increased greatly the Soviet strategic burden,became an important inducement for the final disintegration of the Soviet.Simultaneously,America paid a significant price for this.Therefore,it is worthwhile pointing out that,after the first hard confrontation with the Soviet,Reagan Administration was revising to the policy towards the Soviet of relative detente dominated by peaceful evolution during his second term.Strategic adjustment and competition between America and the Soviet from 1981 to 1983 are a typical game of great powers,whose experiences and lessons have some reference significance for China's Great-Power Diplomacy.