To What Extent Did Ronald Reagan End the Cold War

1
To What Extent Did Ronald Reagan End the Cold War?

• Emily Wolfe

2
Election of 1980

• The former California governor decided to run for
  the presidency with running mate, George Bush,
  after being denied the nomination in 1976
  
• Reagan was elected 489-49 electoral votes and
  immediately began drastic tax cuts to try to spur
  the economy

3
Ways in Which Reagan Helped Win the Cold War

• Revitalizing American Confidence
• Reagan Doctrine
• Buildup of the Military
• Understanding the Weaknesses of the Soviet Union

4
Revitalizing American Confidence

• Reagans goal was to return to the American
  optimistic spirit for the future
  
• Public opinion shifted in favor of Reagan and his
  policies
  
• Reagans strong opinions about the weaknesses of
  the USSR aided in the start of more aggressive
  actions towards the USSR
  
• If more action was taken, then logically, more
  pressure was applied and the USSR would not be
  able to withstand

5
Reagan Doctrine

• Administration declared it would aid any Third
  World country under threat from Marxist forces
  
• Came into play in the countries of El Salvador,
  Nicaragua, and Afghanistan
  
• Afghanistan only conflict when USSR sent their
  military (caused Soviet spending to increase,
  possibly accelerating the fall)
  

6
Buildup of the Military

• Economic side
• Believed increase in military spending would pose
  threat to Soviet economy
  
• Technological side
• Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) increased
  Americas technology advantage

7
Buildup of the Military (cont.)

• SDI The long-term promise provided by this
  research is the possibility of aggression,
  strengthening stability, and increasing the
  security of the United States and our allies
  and doing so through the increased contribution
  of defensive systems that threaten no one.
• Ronald Reagan in a letter to Senate Majority
  Leader, Bob Dole

8
Understanding the Weaknesses of the Soviet Union

• For the most part, prior to Reagan, both
  political parties believed that the Soviet Union
  would sustain through the foreseeable future
  
• Reagan was different because he believed the
  Soviets could be defeated
  
• Saw the Soviet economy as weak and believed, if
  pushed, it would collapse
  

9
Understanding the Weaknesses of the Soviet Union
(cont.)

• Reagan was correct in his beliefs
• We will be pulled into an arms race that is
  beyond our capabilities, and we will lose it
  because we are at the limit of our capabilities.
  If the new round begins, the pressures on our
  economy will be unbelievable.
• - Mikhail Gorbachev at a session of Poliburo

10
Berlin Wall Speech

• Reagan traveled to the Brandenburg Gate on June
  12, 1987
  
• Gave a famous speech challenging Gorbachev to
  prove his commitment to openness by tearing down
  the Berlin Wall
  
• 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!
• -Ronald Reagan

11
Berlin Wall Speech (cont.)

• His speech applied further pressure on Gorbachev
  to continue with his reform policies and progress
  further
  

12
SoDid Reagan End the Cold War?

• Technically speaking, the Bush administration
  finalized the end of the Cold War
  
• However, in the transition between Reagan and the
  succeeding president, George Bush, some advances
  that had been made were lost

13
SoDid Reagan End the Cold War?

• The cooperation and established relationship
  between Reagan and Gorbachev in fact ended the
  Cold War
  
• Reagans policies, however, led to the eventual
  collapse of the Berlin Wall and, later, the
  economy and Soviet Union
  

14
Bibliography

• DSouza, Dinesh. How Reagan Won the Cold War.
  National Review. 24 November 1997.
  
• Kaplan, Fred. Ron and Mikhails Excellent
  Adventure. Slate War Stories.
  d 2102081
• Knopf, Jeffrey W. Did Reagan Win the Cold War?
  Strategic Insights. Volume III Issue 8 (August
  2004).
  

15
Bibliography (cont.)

• Kaiser, Robert G. Gorbachev We All Lost Cold
  War. Washington Post. p. A01. 11 June 2004.
  
• Ronald Reagan and End of the Cold War.
  Eagleton Digital Archive of American Politics.
  Rutgers University. edu/e- gov/e-politicalarchive-ReaganCW2.htm