State Historical Society of Iowa

"Reagan's Speech at the Signing Ceremony for the I.N.F. Treaty," December 8. 1987

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Courtesy of Reagan Presidential Library, "Reagan's Speech at the Signing Ceremony for the I.N.F. Treaty," December 8. 1987

Description

On December 8, 1987, Reagan and Gorbachev signed the INF Treaty in Washington, D.C. The final treaty eliminated an entire class of nuclear weapons, restricting the deployment of both intermediate and short-range land-based missiles worldwide. The treaty for the first time also called for extensive verification measures, including intrusive inspections. The substantial decrease in weapons on both sides was the goal for Reagan and became known as the "zero option" referenced in his speech. It was the first arms control agreement the two nations had completed since the SALT II agreement failed to be ratified, and the first treaty that required the destruction of existing weapons, instead of just setting limits on future weapons. Opposition to the treaty came from the U.S. Senators concerned about the security implications for both the United States and Europe delayed its approval by Congress. The treaty ultimately passed in time for Reagan to exchange ratifications with Gorbachev at their 1988 summit meeting in Moscow.

Full transcript coming soon.

Source Dependent Questions

  • What was the date of this source? How did the context differ from the arms talk in 1976? What were the main arguments Reagan used to explain the importance of this treaty?
  • Refer back to Nixon's conversation with Leonid Brehshnev, what similar ideas are repeated in this speech?
  • What was the significance about the use of arms reduction instead of arms control? Was this a shift in the United States use of the military in a war of ideals? Use evidence from the sources.
  • Consider Reagan's call for greater openness in military programs between the United States and the Soviet Union. How was this language a departure from past leaders? How was this similar?

Citation Information

Reagan, Ronald, "Signing Ceremony for the I.N.F. Agreement," December 8. 1987. Courtesy of Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Courtesy of Library of Congress

State Historical Society of Iowa

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