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In 1984, U.S. and Soviet relations had dropped to their lowest point since the
early 1960's. All arms control negotiations had been suspended, and the United
States was pursuing the Strategic Defense Initiative (see
March 1983
), which greatly concerned the Soviets. In March 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became
the leader of the Soviet Union. In September 1985, he presented a new strategic
arms proposal to the United States. He proposed that both the United States and
the Soviet Union cut their total number of warheads and bombs in half.
President Reagan responded just before the planned U.S.-Soviet summit meeting
in Geneva with another proposal that included a 50% cut but also items not in
the Soviet's favor. The two superpowers didn't make any significant arms
control progress at the November summit in Geneva, but their positions appeared
to be edging closer to one another.
In January 1986, Soviet President Gorbachev called for disarmament by the year
2000. He proposed a detailed, three-staged timetable for eliminating nuclear
missiles, warheads, bombs, and other weapons from the planet. In the first
stage, covering five to eight years, the United States and the Soviet Union
would cut their arsenals by 50%. The first stage also included removing all
intermediate-range nuclear weapons from Europe. The Soviet Union would also
accept on-site inspection to verify any agreements. However, President
Gorbachev made it clear that reducing arms would only be possible "only if the
U.S.S.R. and U.S.A. mutually renounce the development, testing, and deployment
of space strike weapons (Star Wars)." Gorbachev's proposal led to the
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in December 1987.
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