Star Wars

Definition

In this context, "Star Wars" refers to a nickname for Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), a proposed missile defense system intended to protect United States from attack by ballistic strategic nuclear weapons. The program was announced by President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983.

Related terms

Arms Race: A competition between two or more states for supremacy in weaponry. During Cold War it primarily referred to U.S. and USSR developing advanced technology weapons.

Détente: The easing of strained relations, especially in politics; this term is often used in reference to general easing of relations between Soviet Union and United States in late 1960s and early 1970s.

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD): A doctrine of military strategy where full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two opposing sides would cause complete annihilation of both attacker and defender.