What was ronald reagans contribution to the fall of communism?

Question

people keep teling me that he played a massive rolke in the fall of the berlin wall but i cannot find any information on what he actually did that was so good

Answer 1

Some seem determined to make sure Reagan receives as little credit as humanly possible for the success of his policy (though they are typically more than willing to BLAME him for anything that went wrong on his watch).

But as the leader of the world's other superpower, Reagan's actions were ESSENTIAL.

That doesn't mean others actions were not ALSO necessary. No one is claiming that he did it all by himself with one hand tied behind his back! (though some Reagan critics practically think Gorbachev, did so with his much WEAKER hand). There is plenty of credit to go around, both for earlier leaders (beginning with Truman), and a number of contemporary leaders who deserve our thanks -- certainly including the leaders of Solidarity, Pope John Paul II and Maggie Thatcher. . .

Reagan himself gave credit to Gorbachev for acting reasonably, though it must be noted that it was REAGAN who saw that Gorbachev, unlike his predecessors, was a person he COULD deal with, and proceeded to do so, pressuring for REAL change and reform in the Soviet Union.

But before things could even get to that stage, Reagan put economic and military pressures on the USSR in many quarters, from his move to place Pershing missiles in Europe (having had to exert considerable effort on West Germany, and against much West European opposition, indeed hatred), to his Strategic Defense Initiative which we now know the Soviet Union greatly feared and tried desperately to counter, to serving notice with the invasion of Grenada to quash a Communist coup (1983), to supporting anti-Soviet movements in Eastern Europe, esp. Poland. (By contrast, the policy of the Carter administration had largely been to back away from any potential conflict with the Soviets, even on our own doorstep in Central America.)

Some nowadays like to claim that the Soviet Union was economically about to fall apart when Reagan took office anyway, so that he hardly did anything. Rather interesting that the same people sang a very different tune through most of his administration, fought against his approach, urged we 'come to terms', advocated a 'nuclear freeze', and various other actions that would have enabled them to continue for many more years.

At the very least Reagan's program to rebuild the US military put ENORMOUS pressure on the Soviet Union, which ultimately was not able to keep up with the US in spending. (There is NO reason to believe this result could have been obtained if the nations had continued in the direction of cutbacks under Carter or adopted policies such as those advised by 'nuclear freeze' advocates.)

Another piece of all this is that the US continually brought up the issues of Russian dissidents, and pressured the Soviet Union about its treatment of Soviet bloc nations, that is pressure toward political liberalization (Glasnost). Once unleashed, this approach began to weaken the Soviet government's grip, both on Soviet bloc nations and its own people. (Gorbachev did not, at the time, recognize what was happening. To some extent, no one did.)

Thus, "pressure from within", both economic and political, played a huge role in the "evil empire" falling without a shot being fired. . . and that pressure succeeded BECAUSE of help from outside, an important piece of which was Reagan administration policies.

And since you specifically mention the Berlin Wall -- Reagan's famous 'tear down this wall' speech, thought excessive by his critics, was another piece of pressure on Gorbachev, while galvanizing Germans (and others) in opposition.

This and other speeches (INCLUDING the (in)famous "evil empire" speech) made clear to those under Soviet domination the determination of the US to see things through, to stand behind them.

This is of a piece with support for "Solidarity"... That is, once again, the "pressure from within" succeeded BECAUSE it was backed up - morally, economically and militarily - by the U.S.

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An excellent perspective on this question, which considers ALL the major players, is found in the last several chapters of the book *The Cold War: A New History* (2005) by John Lewis Gaddis (my favorite Yale professor).

Answer 2

Ronald Reagan Communism

Answer 3

It's just the consequence of an Urban Legend, that the changing in the US policy became the end of the Soviet Union, and some people think, this era began with Reagen's speech, when he named the Soviet Union as the Evil Empire. Also some peoples think, that the raising military costs were too much for the Eastern Block, and they dates this change to Reagen's presidential era, but it's also a funny thing. In Hungary we prefer to add statues for the nations and peoples who were defeated us, but You can hardly find any hungarian heroes statues in Hungary. This is a usual hungarian madness, as we look for governors from abroad, and we shame our history. This is just "another brick in the wall".

Answer 4

Not a lot.
The Soviet Union was bankrupted by the cost of the Afghan war and the arms race. Their economy could not sustain both and the people could see the results of consumerism in the West and wanted a similar lifestyle.
Gorbachev was wise enough to know that the old methods of repression would no longer work and he conceded the reforms which began the process of liberalisation.
Once the regime in Russia had started to change then the other countries in the Warsaw Pact knew that their repressive systems also had to change. The destruction of the Berlin Wall was almost a spontaneous act by the people of East and West Berlin.

Answer 5

Reagan's role in the collapse of the Soviet Union and, prior to it, the events in Poland, the Czech Republic and the fall of the Berlin Wall, has been aggrandized.
Of course he contributed to the course of events, but Mikhail Gorbachev (Glasnost and Perestroika policies) and Pope John Paul II were the major players, followed by Lech Walesa and the Solidarity movement in Poland.

Answer 6

The people who keep telling you "he played a massive role in the fall of the Berlin Wall" have been fooled by a little publicity, and are now responsible for manufacturing a historical myth. Be careful my friend.

See the article by James Mann ("Tear Down Those Myths") in the International Herald Tribune and reflect...

iht.com/articles/2007/06/10/opinion/ed.mann.php

Answer 7

There are several things he did. Some argue that they were just a product of the times or whatever but it doesn't refute the fact that it fell because of him.

1. He implemented Star Wars defense plan. It never got off the ground but the Soviets took it so seriously they bankrupted themselves trying to fight back.

2. He not only opened dialogue with the Soviets but he pushed back. He became friends with Gorbachev but he also knew when to tell him we was wrong.

3. His rhetoric was tough when his aids and advisors cautioned him to be easy.