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Strategic Defense Initiative

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Strategic Defense Initiative

Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was the missile defense program announced by Ronald Reagan in the early 1980s.

Its goal was to create a system that could destroy incoming Soviet nuclear missiles before they hit the United States or its allies.

Critics nicknamed it “Star Wars.”

Soviet Reaction

The Soviet Union saw SDI as a dangerous new step in the arms race, especially one that might shift competition into space.

Historical Role

SDI increased pressure on the Soviet Union and worried Soviet reformers, who feared the economic burden of trying to keep up. :contentReference[oaicite:12]