Essay, Research Paper: Ronald Regan

The perceptions of Ronald Reagan as a political figure and a foreign policy maker are numerous. He was seen by some, as an "warrior", by others such as Margaret Thatcher, as a savior, the man who "won the cold war without firing a shot. Some people were concerned about the idea of having a president who had "prejudices about the Soviet Union. Ronald Reagan's management of government affairs and foreign matters led many of his critics, and even some of his supporters to severely criticize him for carelessness, and not being able to fully comprehend world politics. He was a passionate conservative, and direct in his political speeches, and more often than not, took to applying anti-Soviet to an unheard-of degree. "Let's not delude ourselves, the Soviet Union underlies all the unrest that is going on. If they weren't engaged in this game of dominoes, there wouldn't be any hot spots in the world." Ronald Reagan's dedication to freedom, and his lack of interest for communism was continuously reflected by his actions and his addresses to Congress and the American public. He was, in short, a hard-liner on communism, intent to "leave Marxism-Leninism on the ash-heap of history." His primary goals in regards to communism can be traced back a long way. In a 1962 speech, at which time he was governor of California, he described the political system of the Soviet Union as "a single world-wide force dedicated to the destruction of our free enterprise system and the creation of a Socialist State." This approach to the Soviet system is affirmed and consolidated by speeches made throughout his presidency.