In the late 1970's the west seemed to be loosing the cold war. when the soviet forces invaded Afghanistan, it was thought in the west, that this was a dangerous threat to the western interests. during the second cold war no one knew how weak the soviet union was. Thatchers willingness to support the US can be seen by her agreement to the deployment of US cruise missiles in Britain. due to the cold war, the government published protect and survive booklets. in 1983 the CND held a march in London with 200,000 people attending. Thatcher was willing to co-operate with the new soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, she also encouraged Reagan, to negotiate with Mikhail. and they discovered they were willing to co-operate and then in 1987 the Intermediate ranged nuclear forces was signed in Washington