How Did Gorbachev Influence The Soviet-American Government

The Cold War had a significant impact on American foreign policy, changing it substantially in both attitudes to social and economic factors. The heavy influence of a difference in political standing between the Soviet Union and the United States, in conjunction with the high tensions that followed in the post war period, set the foundations for American foreign policy to adapt and change to better suit the developing political agender of the time. Socially, the two sides were heavily split, with the Soviet Union seeking communist support and allies whilst the US sought to counter their progress in a similar manner. Economically these relations with foreign countries that either joined the eastern or western blocs helped to further the

Reagan became president in 1981, which means that he was president of the U.S. during a time in which the Cold War began to draw to a close. (Fischer, 1997, p.477). Whereas his predecessors used détente, a more relaxed approach in order to reduce tension between the U.S. and USSR, Reagan and his advisers rejected this strategy (Authors, People and a Nation, p.833). This led to a turning point in the Cold War. Even though the Cold War ended in 1991, two years after Reagan’s presidency, Reagan is still known to have made a huge influence on ending the Cold War. This essay will investigate his actions and how they might have influenced the ending of the Cold War, by looking at how Reagan expressed his distrust toward the Soviet Union and communism, the ways in which Reagan expanded the arms race in order to bankrupt the USSR and other ways in which he tried to sabotage the Soviet economy, but also

Mikhail Gorbachev is a foreign leader who worked with Reagan and also wanted to eliminate communism. If the Soviet Union collapsed, then all influences of communism would stop, which is what Reagan and Gorbachev wanted (Marsico, 84). The nation as a whole agreed that they did not want communism to spread beyond the borders of East Germany and seep into their culture. During the span of 1985-1988 five meetings between the Americans and the Communists negotiated issues of diplomacy. By the early 1980’s the Soviets had built up weaponry which was almost comparable to America’s weaponry, but as the decade went on the Soviets were unable to keep up (Marsico, 84). This inferiority pleased the American people. By 1991 the cold war had concluded. on June 12, 1987, Reagan asked Gorbachev helped to eliminate the oppressive influence that communism had outside of the soviet union (Marsico 85-86). He wanted to stop the influences so that communism would not spread any further than it already had. Standing beside the berlin wall, which separated East and West Germany, Reagan gave a speech which reminded every one of the differences between the two sides. General Secretary Gorbachev” Reagan challenged him, “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!”

Although the indications were present well before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the world was not completely ready for the end of the Cold War. The US was left alone without any major balancing opponents. Furthermore, after the dissolution of the Soviets the numbers of newly established independent states have increased significantly. All these new states were lacking of self-governing capabilities and also the Western vision, which was the victorious ideology of the Cold war. Moreover, some

Despite the unsuccessful past during the Cold War years between the United States and the Soviet Union, President Ronald Reagan and his counterpart the general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev during the 1980s should have focused on bright future by reducing the nuclear arms, because having a partnership, friendship and the common goal will move two nations toward success. On 1985, in an effort to improve the international situation, the United States and the Soviet Union have decided to hold a meeting in Switzerland, Geneva. It was a first official meeting between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, to discuss reductions in nuclear weapons and talk about future partnerships. Geneva Summit led on to four further meetings in 1986 Reykjavik, in 1987 in Washington, Moscow in 1988, and the last one in New York Harbour in 1988.

Ronald Reagan started as a radio announcer and became one of the most influential presidents and people in the world. He was known as one of the top five young celebrities in Hollywood, was the 40th President, stopped the Cold War, and created a foundation to help students get a good education. If Ronald Reagan is not the most valuable person, then I don’t know who is.

During the cold war era, President Reagan’s strong anti-Soviet feelings and rhetorical “attack” style was an approach that his own administration saw as extreme and even dangerous (Rowland, p 23). And unlike many American leaders before him, who avoided the strained relations between the United States and Soviet Union, President Reagan set out to exploit and end communist tyranny. President Reagan’s devotion to ending tyranny was stronger than any other leader during the time period. For example, he criticized the Carter administration for their failure to deal with "the adventurousness of the Soviet Union" (Fisher, p 303). He believed that their foreign policy enabled the Soviet Union to view the United States in a weak and vulnerable state. President Reagan 's staunch opposition to communism and his willingness to confront the Soviet Union during a time when it was not popular, played a key role in the failure of the Soviet Union. Aiding him in his lone stand against tyranny was his rhetoric style of "ideological and moral clarity." A rhetoric style that he utilized to demonstrate a strong moral position towards the Soviet Union, while reducing the risk of conflict. In doing so he was able to set the stage for successful negotiation between the two nations (Rowland, p 24). This essay will examine Ronald Reagan 's June 12, 1987, address at the Brandenburg Gate. Mainly, the rhetoric style of "ideological and moral clarity", he utilized to exploit the Soviet Union, while

Speaking of Reagan’s policies of yesteryear, one of Reagan’s primary goals as president was to tear down the “Evil Empire.” In 1985, Reagan met with Mikhail Gorbachev, the eighth leader of the Soviet Union in Geneva to initiate talks about bringing the two countries together. As soon as Reagan came to know Gorbachev a bit more, he realized that he was different from other Soviet leaders: he was charming and humorous (Noonan, 288). The two were not tense like with other presidents and Soviet leaders, they were able to talk earnestly. After many meetings, the two then eventually almost agreed to disarm all ballistic missiles in ten years. However, there was one caveat that Gorbachev said at the very end, “This all depends of course on you

Like presidents before Reagan wherever he goes, whatever he does: Ich hab noch einen Koffer in Berlin. President Reagan wants to bring down this Brandenburg Gate. He wants the people of East and West Berlin to come together as one, because they are all Berliners. In this communist world the west has found a free world full of prosperity and well being. Russia is opening up to the outside world and starting understand the importance of freedom. With this Germany should bring down this wall and seek the peace in Eastern Europe.

The heart of Reagan 's foreign policy was to prevent the expansion of communism and at the heart of communism was the Soviet Union. Reagan often referred to the Soviet Union as the “evil empire.” Reagan believed that the United States should negotiate with the Soviet Union from a position of strength. The administration embarked on a modernization program which included the production of intercontinental missiles and the Strategic Defense Initiative. He increased military spending and forces, while holding negotiations with Mikhail Gorbachev- the General Secretary of the Soviet Union. After a number of meetings between Reagan and Gorbachev, the two men signed an Intermediate

Hostilities grew to a boiling point, but the death of Soviet leader, Brezhnev, and subsequent replacement with Mikhail Gorbachev. In the late 1980s, Reagan and Gorbachev attended a series of summit meetings that strengthened both the diplomacy between the two nations as well as their personal friendship. During these meetings the two leaders were able to reach agreements on arms control, with Reagan supporting the total destruction of all nuclear weapons. Reagan was able to work with Gorbachev instead of against him helping to strengthen United States diplomacy throughout the

The United Sates relationships to the world has change during the cold war to where the Unites States was seen as a most in control world power with values that represents capitalism and democracy to stop communism. During the cold war the United States was seen as a world power that would get involved in other nations affairs to promote is values of capitalism and democracy. For instance, The Korean and Vietnam Wars are examples of military intervention by the Americans in the name of stopping communist expansionism. The United States way of getting involved and helping in other nations affairs to secure American interests can be seen today in the event in Syria, where the United States is working with other close-by countries to help put

George H.W. Bush deserves to be named “Person of the Decade”. He worked hard to follow his own beliefs in what was the right thing to do and achieved amazing things because of that. When dealing with the Soviet Union and Mikhail Gorbachev he established his own methods and plan instead of following Raegan’s. Soon after his plan was established things in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union began to change. The berlin wall collapsed and the communist rule through out Eastern Europe was overthrown. Bush chose to let all of these events happen naturally, cautious not to do anything to make Gorbachev’s position any worse. Bush had the policy review complete and decided to meet with Gorbachev. While in the meeting they laid the basis for completing

Following the end of World War Two (WWII), the United States as well as much of the western world was thrust into the escalating crisis which came to be known as the Cold War. As this new threat emerged looming over the United States and its NATO

Relations between the United States and the Soviet Union have always been complicated. Over the entire 20th century they have been close allies to bitter rivals. The stark differences in each of their political systems prevented the USA and the USSR from maintaining a close political friendship and understanding, and even to the very edge of war.