<P> Reagan's aim was to defeat the Soviets through an expensive arms buildup the Soviets could not match . However, Reagan continued to follow containment in several key areas . He pursued a comprehensive nuclear disarmament initiative called START I and policy toward Europe continued to emphasize a NATO - based defensive approach . </P> <P> The end of the Cold War in 1991 marked the official end of the containment policy, but the U.S. kept its bases in the areas around Russia, such as those in Iceland, Germany, and Turkey . Also, much of the policy helped influence U.S. foreign policy in later years, such as during the War on Terror and dealing with post-Cold War dictators, such as Iraq's Saddam Hussein . </P>

Which best describes how american foreign policy toward the cold war shifted in the 1950’s