L 5.3.8 Quiz: The Cold War and the Fall of Communism Question 7 of 10
According to the quote, how did President Ronald Reagan approach the
policy of détente?
The defense policy of the United States is based on a
simple premise: The United States does not start fights.
We will never be an aggressor. We maintain our strength in
order to deter and defend against aggression to preserve
freedom and peace. Since the dawn of the atomic age,
we've sought to reduce the risk of war by maintaining a
strong deterrent and by seeking genuine arms control
Deterrence means simply this: making sure any adversary
who thinks about attacking the United States, or our allies,
or our vital interests, concludes that the risks to him
outweigh any potential gains.
-Ronald Reagan, 1983 2
A. Reagan did not think a policy of détente would deter an attack