War and Political Violence in the Mid- to Late 1980s

The mid- to late-1980s witnessed war and political violence in many countries. During the first half of the 1980s, the Ayatollah Khomeini instituted terrorism against his people in Iran to subject them to his rule. Among his methods was execution of his own people, including underage children and youths, political personnel, and adherents to minority religions. In 1985, Juan Peron, the leader of a junta in Argentina, and four of his commanders were convicted of human rights violations against the Argentinean people during Peron’s military rule. During the hearings, the atrocities committed during the repressive rule came to light. U.S. president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev began arms negotiations to keep nuclear weapon build-up under control because a nuclear war would be devastating and self-defeating. Beginning in 1986 and lasting almost two years, trials...