During World War II, many countries of the world came together to fight against the oppressive nations of Germany, Italy, Japan, and their allies. The United States, Russia, and Great Britain, who emerged as leaders of the fight against these adversaries, formed an alliance that was eventually able to overcome the threat that these three countries posed. However, after the war ended, the relationship between the United States and Russia went sour. While the friendship between the United States and Great Britain remained strong, tension between the Americans and Russians continued to escalate. Both countries built up their nuclear capabilities, while at the same time embarking on large-scale espionage missions against each other. In what later became known as the Cold War, the world was constantly on the brink of total nuclear war, and that threat did not conclude until the late 1980's, some forty years after the stalemate began. President Reagan, along with Soviet Secretary General Mikhail Gorbachev, diplomatically ended one of the most tense and militarily dangerous periods in the history of the world. Reagan's strategic negotiating with the Soviets was the major catalyst that began the end of the Cold War.
             Ronald Reagan defeated incumbent Jimmy Carter in the fall of 1980 to win the Presidency of the United States. Reagan, the former movie star and governor of California, was known for his great communication skills, and his ability to stand strong on his issues while not seeming over-bearing. He came to power on the promise of pulling the United States out of its worst economic state since the Great Depression by cutting taxes, slashing government spending, and lifting a grain embargo against the Russians to aide American farmers. Reagan won easily over Carter, whose term had been plagued by economic struggles and foreign diplomacy blunders such as the Iran hostage affair that ended soon after Reagan took offic...