Strategic Defense Initiative

The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1983, aimed to develop a missile defense system to protect the United States from nuclear missile strikes. It envisioned using advanced technologies, including satellites and laser systems, to detect and intercept incoming missiles. The initiative was controversial, facing criticism for its feasibility and cost, and it sparked debates about the arms race during the Cold War. Although it never fully materialized, SDI represented a shift toward defensive rather than offensive military strategies in an era of heightened nuclear tensions.