In a previous assignment we had to review a documentary about leadership and discuss how that person, figure or event expressed a sense of leadership. My group and I decided to review and discuss about our late President of the United State, Ronald Reagan. I was not aware of what I was getting into. I always knew from childhood that he was a great President and that he, like everyone, had many different challenges to face while he was in office. He had a growing unemployment rate, a fear of joining a third world war, being shot, advancing this nations technological achievements and getting the economy out of turmoil by trying to balance the national budget. With all of those different situations, and I’m sure there are many more issues he had to deal with, pulling him in a different direction; he managed to avoid a nuclear holocaust with Russia. In a world that was locked in a race for space and a larger number nuclear bombs, that were both larger in quantity and in devastating power, President Reagan sought to bring peace to the eastern world. Russia was taking over Europe and parts of Asia and constantly threatening to drop bombs on any of their enemies. President Reagan held meeting after meeting with Russia’s Prime Minister Mikal Gorbachev. By standing firm on what he and many American’s believe in, President Reagan successfully got Gorbachev to reduce the number of long range nuclear missiles, pull back from their advancement into other neighboring countries and even got Gorbachev to “Tear down that Wall”, referring to the Berlin wall that divided east and west Berlin. The main reason that I like President Reagan as much as I do is because he meant what he said and never backed down. He stood firm on the equality and respectful treatment of every human being and Gorbachev saw that in him as well. President Reagan was not afraid to go to war against Gorbachev, or anyone for that matter, he just knew that war is not always necessary, but if it comes to that we as Americans are ready. As a United States Marine Corp Veteran with nearly eight years in service and two deployments to two different wars; I see that President Reagan was right in not going to war unless it is absolutely necessary. The toughness and leadership that President Reagan had and expressed was just what the world needed at the time and the United States of America is in a desperate need of a great person like that again.
Kristina Kay Piper-osorio says
Ronald Reagan was known as “the great communicator”. He delivered many great speeches, many of which I listened to growing up. He communicated very effectively and his abilities didn’t just equate to public speaking, he was rather convincing on a personal level also. Reagan exuded both power and influence and he was well respected by many of the world’s leaders during the 1980s. The United States was still well entrenched in the Cold War during the 80s and the climate between the U.S. and Russia was fraught with mistrust and suspicion. Reagan was able to forge a strong relationship, both political and personal with Mikhail Gorbachev, a relationship that defied any previous relationship between the two country’s leaders. Reagan and Gorbachev related very well with each other. They had common goals through their leadership of the two most powerful countries on the planet, and they both wanted to prove that our countries could support each other, not just threaten each other. Unfortunately, their periods in power were not long enough to completely change the culture of mistrust and suspicion between our two countries. The relationship the U.S. has with Russia now is clearly a far cry from the one, I believe, Reagan and Gorbachev had envisioned. Ronald Reagan was one of the best presidents when it came to utilizing influence and power because he really understood how to use both to further our country’s relationship with the other super-power, Russia.
all5149 says
Good post, I too thought Reagan was a superior president. he had many of the traits and habits we have reviewed thus far in this course. He was one of the true leaders we have historically.