1 / 26

The Foreign Policies of Ronald Reagan

The Foreign Policies of Ronald Reagan. Background. Career started as a Movie Actor Originally supported the Democratic Party, but switched to Republicans because of Democratic tax policies Former Governor of California Powerful, charming personality; earned nickname Great Communicator.

alaire
Download Presentation

The Foreign Policies of Ronald Reagan

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. The Foreign Policies of Ronald Reagan

  2. Background • Career started as a MovieActor • Originally supported the Democratic Party, but switched to Republicans because of Democratic tax policies • Former Governor of California • Powerful, charming personality; earned nickname GreatCommunicator

  3. Background (cont.) • Wife, Nancy, played a leading role in his administration • “JustSayNo!” antidrug campaign • Survived an assassination attempt by JohnHinckleyJr. (1981)

  4. The Reagan Revolution • Became part of a growing conservative movement called the New Right • Supported… • School Prayer • Lower Taxes • Small Gov’t. • Strong Military • Bible-based Human Creation

  5. Reaganomics • Two Goals: • Reduce taxes to stimulate economic growth • Cut the federal budget • Reagan’s economic theory was based on Supply-SideEconomics

  6. Supply-Side Economics • Tax cuts allow businesses to expand and invest their tax savings • Businesses could then hire more workers or build new stores • Critics: • Rich would become richer, poor would become poorer • No wealth would “trickle down” to the working class

  7. Reaganomics • Before becoming Reagan’s VP, Bush Sr., referred to it as… • “Voodoo Economics” • Tax cuts combined with increased military spending drove the deficit higher, increasing national debt

  8. Reagan & the Cold War • Rejected policies of détente & containment • Took a hard-line stance towards communism and the USSR • Referred to the USSR as the “evilempire” and wanted to destroy it.

  9. Reagan & the Cold War • “Peace with Strength” • Huge increases in military/defense spending • 1981-1985 defense budget grew from $150 billion to $250 billion • Increased nuclear stockpiles • StrategicDefenseInitiative (SDI): shield in space that would protect the US against incoming Soviet missiles

  10. “Star Wars”

  11. Reagan & the Cold War • US-Soviet relations warm • In 1985 new Soviet leader MikhailGorbachev began talks to reduce nuclear stockpiles with the US • In an act of defiance, Reagan gave a speech at a famous BerlinWall landmark called the Brandenburg Gate • “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” • The Berlin Wall officially came down in 1989 • USSR fell two years later in 1991

  12. Iran-Contra Affair • Background • US supported Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza • Sandinistas (Marxist group) with help from Cuba (communist) overthrew Samoza • Reagan cuts off aid to Nicaragua and alleges that the Sandinistas were supported by USSR • Reagan then secretly approves $20 million for the CIA to train an opposition called the Contras • Congress discovered the secret activities of the CIA (without their approval) and immediately cut off all aid to the Contras

  13. Sandinistas

  14. The Iran Connection • Despite Congress’ ban on aid to the Contras, Reagan remained determined to help them • Reagan approves of weapons sales to Iran – a direct violation of a US arms embargo • Members of Reagan’s National Security Council secretly diverted funds from the illegal Iranian arms sales to the Contras in Nicaragua • Vice Admiral John Poindexter & Lt. Colonel Oliver North carried out the plan

  15. The Aftermath • The scheme was revealed to Congress in 1986 followed by an investigation • Reagan admitted authorizing Iranian arms sales, but denied knowledge of the diversion of funds to the Contras • Other members of the administration engaged in a cover-up • North admitted destroying key documents (let off on a technicality) • Others lied and withheld evidence

More Related