President Reagan - Cold War Policy

American Attitude Toward Communism and the Soviet Threat

Sep 11, 2009
Dawn Denmar

Communism-The Soviet Threat - clarita

In his early Presidency, the extreme views of President Reagan towards Communism were an attempt to maintain US strength in the world & counter the Soviet threat

When President Reagan assumed power in America his extreme views on the evils of communism and the Soviet threat led to American foreign policy “resting entirely on opposing the Soviet Union”. This was achieved by means of the Reagan Doctrine and his 1983 proposal for the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI). In keeping with the Reagan Doctrine, he gave support to anti-Communist insurgencies in Central America, Asia, and Africa.

American Foreign Policy under President Reagan

Reagan’s principal foreign policy was an attempt to achieve "peace through strength" and during his two terms he increased defense spending by 35%. This led to America’s decline from the world’s leading creditor nation in 1981 to the world’s leading debtor nation by 1985 with more than $1trillion of debt amassed, principally through the SDI initiative.

The Reagan administration was horrified by perceived positive European attitudes to nuclear disarmament and Communism, which it saw a reaction to the idea of a Soviet favourable balance of nuclear technology which led to the US commitment to site further Euromissiles which would assure an umbrella of European nuclear protection.

Was Reagan a Warmonger?

Much has been made of President Reagan as a warmonger with regard to his perceptions of the Soviet threat, particularly with reference to him describing the USSR as the “evil empire” but in many respects this has been taken out of context as it was comment relating particularly to the Stalin era and was a simple reflection of Reagan’s belief in the struggle between good and evil and his dislike of anti-nuclear campaigners. He felt that “the struggle going on for the world will never be decided by bombs or rockets, by armies or military might. The real crisis we face today is a spiritual one; at root, it is a test of moral will and faith”.

Another much quoted speech was Reagan’s ‘Tear down this wall’ statement in Berlin in 1987 which has been credited with inspiring many Eastern bloc intellectuals. In his speech he openly challenged the Soviet leader, Gorbachev, little realising how soon the Berlin Wall would be destroyed: “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

President Reagan Instrumental in Ending the Cold War?

Certainly in the early years of his Presidency, Reagan adopted an extremely strong attitude towards the Soviet Union which gives credence to some commentators stating that he was instrumental in ending the Cold War, particularly in view of his immediate reversal of American foreign policy when aware of the extent of Gorbachev's pioneering attempts at reforming Communism and the Soviet Union.

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