Ronald Reagan, being one of the two main people involved in the Washington Summit, played a big part in the three days of meetings. In 1962, President Reagan joined the Republican party. He was elected President in 1981 after a victory over former President Jimmy Carter, and became the oldest president in American history. Once in office, Reagan was set upon cutting taxes and government expenses. Reagan also initiated the Reagan Doctrine, which aimed to stall the influence of the Soviet Union on the world.
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan standing in front of an American flag.
"We should not break faith with those who are risking their lives-on every continent from Afghanistan to Nicaragua-to defy Soviet-supported aggression and secure rights which have been ours from birth" - Ronald Reagan.
Ronald Reagan being interviewed about the Washington Summit.
Reagan declared a war on international terrorism, and his foreign policy plan gave support to anti-communist insurgencies, or rebellions, around the world. In 1987, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev met to discuss concerning topics, but also met to strengthen their relationship as friends. Reagan’s presidency ended a little over a year later, and by the end of his presidency, the nation was in its longest recorded period of peacetime.
"Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means." - Ronald Reagan.
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