Reagan vs. Evil Empire: America Wins

For nearly four decades following World War II, the United States and its allies followed a policy of containment of communism. That policy cost tens of thousands of lives and hundreds of billions of dollars. Yet in 1980, communism was not only alive and seemingly well in the Soviet Union, Eastern and Central Europe, mainland China, Cuba, and North Korea. It had also expanded into Vietnam, Cambodia, sub-Saharan Africa, Afghanistan, and Nicaragua. Clearly, containment was not working.

A new American president, Ronald Reagan, determined to challenge directly the vital center of communism — the Soviet Union. He directed his national-security team to develop a plan to end the Cold War by winning it. As he put it, “We win, they lose.”

About the Author

Lee Edwards

Lee Edwards is founder and chairman emeritus of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.

Featured Tags

For nearly four decades following World War II, the United States and its allies followed a policy of containment of communism. That policy cost tens of thousands of lives and hundreds of billions of dollars. Yet in 1980, communism was not only alive and seemingly well in the Soviet Union, Eastern and Central Europe, mainland China, Cuba, and North Korea. It had also expanded into Vietnam, Cambodia, sub-Saharan Africa, Afghanistan, and Nicaragua. Clearly, containment was not working.

A new American president, Ronald Reagan, determined to challenge directly the vital center of communism — the Soviet Union. He directed his national-security team to develop a plan to end the Cold War by winning it. As he put it, “We win, they lose.”