Second, this is your first ungrading opportunity. Draft an essay about your work to date by looking at those “Ungrading Questions” I posted in the Announcements section of the Canvas classroom (I will provide writers with my log-in ID). You will NOT answer all of those questions. Rather, those questions are there to get you thinking about your time in the class to date. If you’d like, feel free to answer one or as many as you’d like. But you may also write your own self-reflection.
I can’t say how long the second essay will be because I do not know how much you’ve learned. Some of you have learned more than others. If all you write is 2-3 paragraphs, you are clearly telling me that you did not learn that much. Now, if you write 2-3 pages, you are demonstrating you have learned more.
Then, end this essay with your grade to date. Of course, the essay is the evidence as to the grade you have arrived at. Then I will tweak that grade based on my observations to date.
In my opinion, I deserve a B for this American History class. You can see my attached essay below for my understanding of the material that I learn from this class. I cannot think of any specific struggles yet.Ronald Reagan has been widely regarded as one of the remarkable leaders in American history, attributed to his contribution in bringing the Cold War to an end. Arguably, the Soviet threat was increasingly becoming a point of contention in American politics, with opposing factions expressing varying views since people believed that constant friction between the two superpowers would cause devastating losses in the event of a nuclear war. However, Reagan’s administration can be said to have not only ended the war but won it following the dissolution of the Soviet Union after Reagan’s administration. President Reagan was inaugurated in January 1981, and his main objectives in office included rebuilding the military and fighting the increasing Soviet influence across the world, which he did by enrolling aggressive foreign policies.[ Smith, Dale L. 1988. “Reagan’s National Security Legacy.” Journal of Conflict Resolution. 595.] Notably, Reagan’s strategy against the Soviets can be viewed from an economic and military perspective because the President was determined to destroy global markets for the Russians and build an effective army that would fend off any attacks initiated by the enemy. Analyzing President Reagan’s administration reveals his Cold War legacy because he was determined to halt Soviet expansionism through aggressive economic policies and armed the United States military to maintain the position of a superpower.
President Reagan is a Cold War hero because he was able to win the conflict and prevent a nuclear war at the same time. Reagan?s administration ensured minimal expansionism for the Soviets by making the cost of expansion extremely high.[ Skinner, Kiron. 2022. “Reagan’s Plan.” The National Interest. 137.] The Soviet ambition to dominate Europe and the world became a threat to Americans because the Russians wanted to spread communism, which had proved harmful to human societies. For that reason, Reagan’s administration was keen to hurt the Soviet’s economy by destabilizing their economy by altering the global oil market.[ Edwards, Lee. 2022. “How Ronald Reagan Won The Cold War.” The Heritage Foundation.] The move limited West Europe’s dependency on the Soviet’s natural gas exports, making their government struggle in funding their foreign missions. In that regard, President Reagan can be considered a Cold War hero because he captured the hearts of Americans by neutralizing the Soviet threat. Critics also observe that Reagan enjoyed support from Americans from the way he handled his foreign and economic policies.[ Wilcox, Clyde, and Dee Allsop. 1991. “Economic and Foreign Policy as Sources of Reagan Support.” The Western Political Quarterly. 945.?] Therefore, analyzing his contributions to the Cold War positions him as a significant factor in winning the war because his economic policies ensured the Soviets had a limited chance to expand or influence the world.
Reagan is also a Cold War hero because he re-armed the American military after decades of neglect from former presidents. Although re-arming the military did not directly lead to winning the Cold War since Americans never went to battle against the Russian army, it is correct to consider the benefits of an improved military in deterring the war because the world came to respect the military might of the United States. Smith asserts that “Reagan’s case for increasing military expenditures was based on his view of the 70s as ‘years of neglect.'[ Smith, Dale L. 1988. “Reagan’s National Security Legacy.” Journal of Conflict Resolution. 596.] For that reason, the President undertook measures to improve the military by increasing funding. Skinner observes that the defense neglect of the 1970s was reversed by 1984, thanks to an aggressive Reagan administration. He asserts that the United States was now in a better position to contain potential aggressors because even the Soviets could not underestimate American strength and resolve.[ Skinner, Kiron. 2022. “Reagan’s Plan.” The National Interest. 139.] Arguably, Reagan?s efforts to improve the military were timely because they allowed the United States to neutralize Soviet control in East Europe and other regions of the world.[ Edwards, Lee. 2022. “How Ronald Reagan Won The Cold War.” The Heritage Foundation.] In that regard, President Reagan can be considered a Cold War hero because his military and defense policies won the conflict against the Soviets.
In conclusion, Ronald Reagan is one of America’s courageous presidents who confronted the Soviet threat with aggressive economic and defense policies. He was determined to halt Soviet expansion around the world by attacking its economy, where disruption of its oil and gas industry slowed its expansion plans. Furthermore, Reagan implemented aggressive military policies, increasing military spending to fortify the army, which proved effective in preventing a massive conflict with the Russians and winning battles around the world. For that reason, Reagan was a Cold War hero because his economic and defense policies helped Americans win the war.
Bibliography
Edwards, Lee. “How Ronald Reagan Won The Cold War.” The Heritage Foundation (February 26, 2020). https://www.heritage.org/conservatism/commentary/how-ronald-reagan-won-the-cold-war (last accessed April 3, 2022).
Skinner, Kiron. 2022. “Reagan’s Plan.” The National Interest, no. 56 (1999): 136-140. https://www.jstor.org/stable/42897189 (last accessed April 4, 2022).
Smith, Dale L. “Reagan’s National Security Legacy.” Journal of Conflict Resolution?32, no. 4 (December 1, 1988): 595-625. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022002788032004001 (last accessed April 2, 2022).
Wilcox, Clyde, and Dee Allsop. “Economic and Foreign Policy as Sources of Reagan Support.” The Western Political Quarterly?44, no. 4 (1991): 941-958. https://www.jstor.org/stable/448801 (last accessed April 2, 2022).
