- The SDI was proposed by President Ronald Reagan on March 23rd, 1983
- Its purpose was to ground and space-based systems for protection from nuclear missiles
- It focused on strategic defense instead of strategic offense
- A Strategic Defense Organization was set up in 1984 to oversee the Strategic Defense Initiative
- Many criticized this as being unrealistic and unscientific
- Since part of the defense system advocated by Reagan would be based in space, this proposed system was called "Star Wars."
- In 1993, under the leadership of Bill Clinton, its name was changed to Ballistic Missile Defense Organization
- Its purpose changed from national missile defense to theater missile defense
- Some aspects of the SDI guided research for anti-ballistic missile systems
- The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization was then renamed the Missile Defense Agency
Nipomo Highschool students who briefly discuss and post topics about the Cold War in the decades of the 1950's through the 1980's.