-
Reagan represents SAG against HUAC
During this time Ronald Reagan was the president of the SAG and appeared in front of HUAC as a “friendly” witness. During his speech he testified to his opposition of communism since there was much suspicion around Hollywood at this time saying they were supporters of the communist regime. His testimony was a mild anti-communist rhetoric. -
Iranian Hostages Released
On this day Iran released 52 Americans who has been held in hostage for 444 days. This was the first event in Reagan’s presidency. The hostages actually were flying home while Reagan delivered his Inaugural address. This brought much joy to Reagan and his supporters to have such a triumph on the first day. -
Period: to
Reagan's Presidency
-
Reagan Assassination Attempt
Reagan was shot in his chest only 70 days into his presidency. 6 shots were fired and one gravely injured one of Reagan’s secret service men. The way Reagan carried himself with such grace during this time helped him solidify the support and affection of the American people. He used this to help pass his economic policies such as his Economic Recovery Tax Act, through a Democratic majority congress. -
Reagan Lifts Soviet Grain Embargo Proposed By Carter
Ronald Reagan officially ends the Soviet Grain Embargo proposed by former president Jimmy Carter to help relieve tensions between the two nations. The lifting of the Soviet Grain Embargo marks the first of the fixing of the economic sanctions placed against the Soviet Union during the Cold War -
Reagan Nominates Sandra Day O’Connor To Be The First Female Supreme Court Justice
Ronald Reagan officially proposes to have Sandra Day O'Connor to be nominated as the first Supreme Court Justice that is a female. This event relates to the Cold War as it signifies one of the most major gender equality moves proposed by the United States that starts a trend of change within other nations. -
Congress Passes Reagan’s Tax Bill
This was an act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to encourage economic growth through reductions in individual income tax rates, the expensing of depreciable property, incentives for small businesses, and incentives for savings, and for other purposes. This included an across the board tax decrease. It helped the 1980s economic expansion that eventually lowered the deficits in the US government’s budget. -
Reagan Addresses British Over Falklands Islands
This date marked the first time that Ronald Reagan addressed the United Kingdom and British Parliment on the issues of foreign influences of invasions and self-soveriegnty in territories. This event was significant to the Cold War as it signifed the strong relationship and alliance between Ronald Reagan and the "Iron Lady" Margaret Tatcher during conflicts in the Cold War. -
Reagan Visits West Berlin
On this trip Reagan met with Chancellor Schmidt. During the trip, he was discussing the state of West Germany and beginning to form policies toward Soviet influence and possible defense mechanisms against an invasion from the Soviet forces stationed in Eastern Berlin. -
Reagan Freezes Domestic Spending and Increases Military Spending
This action is evident that Reagan was starting to build policies to create protection against the Soviet Union. This signifies a resurgence in the arms race, where Reagan sought to influence the Cold War through building a strong enough defense to scare away the Soviet Union from trying to instigate any issues. -
Evil Empire Speech
Reagan gave an aggressive speech directed towards the Soviet Union and the use of nuclear weapons. Reagan called the Soviet Union an “Evil Empire.” The Soviet Union was angered by his demeaning comments. Reagan used this speech to reshape the public’s attitude towards nuclear warfare. -
Strategic Defense Initiative
This was the first program initiated by Ronald Reagan. It’s purpose was to create a shield for the United States in case of a possible Soviet nuclear attack. This program greatly influenced the Cold War in that Gorbachev specifically proposed to Reagan that if he scratch this program, the USSR will agree to get rid of all their nuclear weapons. Reagan, keeping a strong stance, denied this proposition. The SDI was never successful and today still hasn’t been created. -
Address on Soviet Plane Shooting
Reagan addresses the world on the Soviet shooting of a commercial airliner that flew over Soviet airspace while flying from New York City to South Korea. This national address condemns the actions of the Soviets and puts them in a bad light that shuns them from the rest of the world, as they are accused of having a callous and brutal attitude towards human life. A turning point in the attitudes towards the SOviets and the Soviet attitudes towards dealing with other nations. -
Reagan Elected Into Second Term
After having a rough start in the election process of 1983 and 1984, Reagan pulls it around to win the second term of his presidency in a landslide election. The determination that Reagan gained from the momentum of his landslide election motivated him to further push aggressive policies against the Soviets during the second half of his term. -
Nicaraguan Trade Embargo
After dealing with the Soviet influenced Nicaragua and a failed attempt to prevent a Communist uprising with the nation, the United States decides to push for a trade embargo against the nation to display the disapproval they have with the rise of power within the nation. -
Reagan meeting Gorbachev, Geneva Summit
This was the first time Reagan and Gorbachev met. The meeting went fairly well and left people with much hope that the Cold War tensions could be resolved. The two leaders held talks on international diplomatic relations and the arms race. This started the good relationship between the two. -
Reykjavik Summit
This was a meeting between Reagan and Gorbachev that collapsed at the last time. In this meeting Gorbachev proposed to Reagan that he would get rid of all the USSR’s nuclear weapons if Reagan would abandon his Star Wars program, however, Reagan refused. This raised tensions but Gorbachev did gain a stronger respect for Reagan for standing his ground. -
Iran Contra Scandal, Tower Commision Assigned To Investigate
After failing to cover up the government supplying of arms to anti-establishment rebels in Nicragua, Reagan comes under fire for lying to the American people and creating a bigger threat in South America. The Tower Commission is assigned to investigate political wrong-doings within the government and to weed out any possible corrupt officials. -
Brandenburg Gate Speech
During this speech Reagan called on the Soviet leader, Gorbachev, to tear down the border that separated East and West Berlin famously known as the “Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall!” statement. The speech was a source of controversy between the Reagan administration itself, because people feared that it might cause further East-West tensions or potential embarrassment to Gorbachev, with whom President Reagan had built a good relationship. -
D.C. Summit INF Treaty
At the DC summit, Reagan and Gorbachev discussed regional conflicts in Afghanistan, Central America, and Southern Africa, arms control issues for chemical weapons as well as conventional weapons, the status of START negotiations, and human right. The most important accomplishment at the Summit was the signing of the INF treaty. The treaty eliminated nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with intermediate ranges. This greatly relieved tension during the Cold War a -
Reagan Leaves office in
Ronald Reagan leaves the presidential office with one of the highest approval ratings of any president since FDR. Reagan left office having set down the foundation for the successful dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s under future president Boris Yeltsin. Reagan would be succeeded by his Vice President George HW Bush after his two terms in office over the course of the 1980s.
