Hello this my response for lecture 9. The U.S. was strongly against communism, yet learning about the harmful actions it supported such as paramilitary violence, made me rethink its role during the Cold War. I never imagined how the Strategic Defense Initiative was linked to the concept of “Star Wars,” or how deeply symbolic the Berlin Wall truly was until seeing a piece of it at the Ronald Reagan Museum. Fashion, such as shoulder pads also represented women’s attempt to assert power in corporate environments dominated by men during second wave feminism. Gorbachev’s efforts to modernize the Soviet Union through reform shifted relations with the U.S. toward negotiation rather than pure hostility. I found this dynamic interesting, and when I connect it to today, I see how the current relationship between the U.S. and Russia over Ukraine. While they are not directly fighting, both sides are involved through military support, political pressure, and global power struggle seen during the Cold War. I do agree with you on how hearing Hedda's story it made it feel real and raw. I’ve never got to hear about someone specifically through a decade. You described her as very out together-elegant and never seen to wear pants but this one time during the summer shows that her real essence while eating her pretzels.