“[...]All of the news graphics of green cylinders exploding red wireframe bullets next to planet earth struck fear into the hearts of the Russians. They believed that President Reagan had just declared star wars on them and he was prepared to muster all of America’s X-wings to wage war against their bullets. With that kind of firepower they knew they didn’t have a chance.”
Nice article from somethingawful.com – read it from the beginning to find out why George Lucas and Star Wars brought down the Soviet Union.