European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 17, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A history of the by Arnold Sawislak United press International the Reagan Gorbachev conference will be the ninth major meeting of soviet and american leaders since 1955 s Summit conferences tie not new but the threat of weapons that can Fly thousands of Miles to kill millions of people has Given special urgency and drama to periodic meetings of superpower leaders since the end of world War ii. The last Summit meeting of the wartime Western allies was held july 16-aug. 1, 1945. In Potsdam. Germany Only Days before the first atomic bombs dropped on Japan. That meeting Between a still untested president Harry Truman soviet Premier Josef Stalin and Winston Churchill replaced As British prime minister by Clement Attlee in mid conference was held to finish the reshaping of Europe begun the previous year at Yalta and to set the surrender terms for Japan. Those agreements and the Newborn bomb set the stage for the East West cold War that has repeatedly brought the major Powers to the Brink of War and provided the impetus Lor eight major meetings of top american and soviet leaders since 1955. The first summits focused on political questions such As the division of Germany and the status of Eastern Europe. Bui As both East and West perfected intercontinental missiles and More efficient megadeath weapons the emphasis shifted to efforts to Stop the global arms race. That it the reason for the ninth postwar Summit. The first in More than six years and the first attended by the present leaders of the United states and the soviet Union to be held in Geneva. Switzerland. Nov. 19-20. President Reagan and soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev will meet in an atmosphere considerably More Chilly than at the last Summit Juno 15-18. 1979. When at the height of detente. President Jimmy cart of and Leonid Brezhnev signed the Salt ii treaty at Vienna. Austria. The Long Range weapons limits agreed to in that pact have been observed and violated by the soviets say some . Critics but the treaty itself never was ratified by the Senate. The soviet invasion of Afghanistan the election of Reagan who made no secret of his distrust of the soviet Union and a massive arms buildup by both countries since the last Summit pushed .-soviet Dwight in shown and Nikita Kryt Thov it in 1960. Kurvi Thev and John f. Kannedy Mot in 1961 and Lyndon Johnson and a Hatol Ken Gin Mot in 1967. Leonid Broi nov and Richard Nixon Mot in 1973. Gorald Ford Mot with Broth nov in 1974 and Jimmy Carton  Page 14 the stars and stripes