During the 1980s , the Ronald Reagan administration pursued an aggressive policy against the Soviet Union and its allies by building up weapons programs , including the Strategic Defense Initiative . The Reagan Doctrine was implemented to reduce the influence of the Soviet Union worldwide by providing aid to anti-Soviet resistance movements , including the Contras in Nicaragua and the Mujahideens in Afghanistan . The accidental downing of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 near Moneron Island by the Soviets on 1 September 1983 contributed to the anti-communism sentiment of the 1980s . KAL 007 had been carrying 269 people , including a sitting Congressman , Larry McDonald , who was a leader in the John Birch Society
Korean Air Lines Flight 007
Korean Air Lines Flight 007
Anti-communism