Ronald Reagan on Foreign Policy

Ronald Reagan's foreign policy centered on the core principle of achieving peace through demonstrated national strength, believing that weakness tempted adversaries like the Soviet Union to advance their ambitions. Upon taking office, he prioritized rebuilding a demoralized and underfunded U.S. military, increasing the defense budget significantly to restore a "margin of safety" for America and its allies. He regarded Communism as an immoral and destructive ideology, famously labeling the Soviet Union an "evil empire" and the focus of evil in the modern world early in his presidency. This stance was paired with a commitment to resisting Soviet-backed Marxist regimes globally, a policy later termed the "Reagan Doctrine," which involved overt support for anti-Communist groups in places like Afghanistan and Nicaragua.

His approach evolved to include direct engagement with the Soviet leadership, particularly with Mikhail Gorbachev, leading to significant diplomatic breakthroughs despite the initial ideological conflict. While advocating strength and refusing to negotiate under duress, he pursued verifiable arms reduction agreements, resulting in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Reagan believed that success in foreign affairs required the democracies to recover their strength, stand firm on their values, and speak the truth candidly to adversaries. His overall implication was that steadfastness, not détente alone, ultimately brought the two superpowers to the negotiating table and pushed back the specter of nuclear war.