S. attacked. The U.S. was victorious, and withdrew after about two months of occupation, and the world knew the United States would not tolerate communism's advance of any sort during the Reagan administration.
Probably the most notorious aspect of Reagan's foreign policy was the Iran-Contra Affair, which came to light in 1986 during Reagan's second term in office. However, the affair had been going on almost as long as Reagan had come into office. The American Experience continues, "Within days of taking office, Reagan suspended U.S. aid to Nicaragua and declared his support for contra rebels fighting to overthrow the newly installed Marxist-led Sandinista regime" (Editors). Essentially, because Congress had turned down aid to the Contras, the administration created covert arms deals with Iran, sending the profits to the Contras who were fighting the Nicaraguan government (the Sandinistas), which was supported by the Soviets and other communist nations. Unfortunately, it became known that many of the Contras were also cocaine dealers, and that they often violated the civil rights of their enemies and civilians.
As aid to the Contras continued, there was a concerted effort by the administration to keep it secret. Historian Scott continues, "Between June 1984 and October 1986 there was a covert effort to evade congressional restrictions by using the NSC staff and a private network of suppliers to raise funds and provide supplies, training, advice, and intelligence" (Scott 156). The truth eventually came out, and it was one of the biggest scandals of the administration. In fact, "Investigations during the Iran-contra affair revealed a 'shadow government,' operating without public knowledge or congressional approval, being run out of the White House" (Editors). Reagan maintained he had never known about the program, and Congress admonished him for not keeping closer tabs on his own administration, and his public approval ratings plummeted after the affair.
Of course, Reagan is most remembered for helping to engineer the eventual fall of the Soviet Union, although it did not actually occur during his presidency. Reagan built up...
He met in diplomatic meetings several times with Soviet leader Gorbachev, who was already known as a proponent of reform in his own country. Eventually, the talks led to major changes in the Soviet Union. In 1989, they gave up their influence in East Berlin, and the Berlin Wall, in place since the end of World War II, came down, uniting Germany once again. In 1991, the Soviet Union fell, replaced by a democratic government.
In conclusion, President Reagan's foreign policy was aggressive, especially toward any kind of communist hostility. It also supported insurgent groups such as the freedom fighters in Afghanistan and Iran, who later became mortal enemies of the United States. Reagan is often remembered by many as one of the greatest American presidents in history, but many of his foreign policies led to situations that might have been avoided with a less aggressive and defensive foreign policy. Many people feel he overextended U.S. policies around the world and was too aggressive and manipulative. However, he is also remembered as one of the engineers of the fall of the Soviet Union, removing the most dangerous American opponent of the Cold War years. Reagan used the Reagan Doctrine to attack the Soviet Union and their liaisons around the world, and eventually, the Soviet Union fell to a newer, more progressive government. Whether Reagan's policies actually contributed as much to that occurrence is debatable, but his policies certainly had an effect on the Soviet Union and the world.
References
Editors. "Foreign Affairs: Ronald Reagan, 40th President." PBS.org. 2003. 25 April 2008. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/40_reagan/reagan_foreign.html
Kane, John. "American Values or Human Rights? U.S. Foreign Policy and the Fractured Myth of Virtuous Power." Presidential Studies Quarterly 33.4 (2003): 772+.
Scott, James M. The Reagan Doctrine and American Foreign Policy. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1996.
