The Reagan Administration's Foreign Policy During The Cold War

The Cold War took off after the end of the Second World War when the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as the two global dominant superpowers each grasping ideologies that were dichotomous from each other. This adverse relationship continued for half a century and the clash of two distinct and differing political ideologies of communism and capitalism saw no clear conclusion or victory for either side. The tense atmosphere resonated not only in the United States and the Soviet Union, but also around the world and into space. For most of the fifty years of the cold war, the ideological struggle and the many indirect physical conflicts between the West and the Soviet Union were in a deadlock with no visible success of either side. However,
a shift favoring the West began to unravel in the 1980s with the decline of Soviet markets and the strong anti-communism sentiment that plagued the world. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the dwindling of communist ideologies and influence worldwide can be attributed to the motives and policies of the Reagan Administration. The Reagan Administration, led by President Ronald Reagan exhibited an unconventional and new foreign policy which differed from the foreign policy agenda of previous presidential administrations, particularly the policies of the Carter Administration.
The Reagan Administration’s foreign policy is dubbed as The Reagan Doctrine and supported the policy of rollback which contrasted the norm policy of previous administrations of containment and détente. Reagan, being a staunch anti-communist, directed his policies not solely against the Soviet Union, but also towards the spread and influence of communism. During the Cold War, Reagan was seen as an aggressive and strong leader in his military buildup and increased tensions with the Soviet Union until his second term when reform was initiated in Soviet markets and the government. Reagan was able to improve bilateral relations with the Soviet Union and its new leader, Mikhail Gorbachev. Today, many historians and leaders attribute Reagan’s foreign policy to the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. In addition, conservatives’ foreign policy stances reflect that of Reagan’s, displaying Reagan’s significant influence to America’s foreign policy today. Ronald Reagan’s legacy on foreign policy is shrouded with controversy as there were many positive aspects and well as negative aspects that arose as a result of his
directives.