Ronald Reagan

When Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980, he found Americas economy, defense, and global position weakened to the point of collapse. The previous seven years of attempted dtente with the Soviet Union had resulted in the worst foreign policy failures in American history. As the distinguished diplomatic historian Richard C. Thornton shows in this thorough reassessment of Reagans presidency, written for the 40th anniversary of his election, the new president was determined to rebuild American economic and military power and to restore the Western Alliance. Reagans Victory Program supported anti-Soviet resistance movements in communist countries, attacked the financial underpinnings of the Soviet economy, and boldly challenged the Soviet Unions forward positions around the world. The deployment of Pershing II missiles to Europe in 1983 restored the balance of power in Europe and, combined with the U.S. military buildup, reestablished strategic equilibrium between the United States and the Soviet Union by the end of Reagans first term. As America faces a host of new challenges in the world today, this reexamination will be of interest to students, scholars, and practitioners alike.