## Learning Outcomes

- Understand how Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy combined anti-communist pressure with later diplomacy
- Identify the key features of the **Reagan Doctrine** and how it differed from earlier **containment**
- Recall major examples of Reagan’s anti-communist actions in Nicaragua, Grenada, and Central America
- Explain why the **Iran-Contra affair** became both a foreign policy scandal and a constitutional issue
- Analyse how Reagan’s military buildup, rhetoric, and diplomacy fit into the broader end of the Cold War
- Use this topic in APUSH causation, comparison, continuity and change, and argument essays

## AP United States History Syllabus

For the AP United States History, you are expected to understand Reagan’s anti-communist foreign policy in the 1980s, with a focus on the following syllabus points:

- Know the meaning of the **Reagan Doctrine** and how it pushed beyond earlier Cold War containment
- Identify key cases of U.S. anti-communist action, especially Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Grenada
- Explain the difference between **containment** and **rollback**
- Understand why the **Boland Amendment** mattered and how it led to the **Iran-Contra affair**
- Know the significance of the **Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)** and Reagan’s “evil empire” rhetoric
- Understand how Reagan’s approach shifted after **Mikhail Gorbachev** came to power in **1985**
- Recall the importance of the Reagan-Gorbachev summits and the **INF Treaty (1987)**
- Evaluate the end of the Cold War as a multi-causal process, not the result of one leader alone

## Test Your Knowledge

_Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, look more closely at that area during your revision._

1. What was the Reagan Doctrine, and how was it different from containment?
2. Why did the United States support the Contras in Nicaragua?
3. How did the Boland Amendment contribute to the Iran-Contra affair?
4. Why was the invasion of Grenada not the same kind of action as aid to the Contras?
5. How did Reagan move from confrontation with the USSR to negotiation by the late 1980s?

## Introduction

In APUSH Unit 9, “Reagan confronts communism abroad” is best understood as a two-part story. First, Reagan took a hard line against communism through military buildup, fierce rhetoric, and support for anti-communist forces in the developing world. Second, he later worked with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in a series of negotiations that helped ease Cold War tensions.

This topic matters because it fits several APUSH themes at once, especially **America in the World** and **Politics and Power**. It also works very well in essays on causation and continuity and change over time. Reagan’s foreign policy continued the Cold War tradition of intervention and anti-communism, but it also marked a shift toward a more aggressive strategy often described as trying to roll back communist influence rather than merely contain it.

> **Key Term: Reagan Doctrine**
> The Reagan-era foreign policy of supporting anti-communist governments or insurgencies fighting Soviet- or Cuban-backed forces, especially in the developing world.

### From containment to rollback

To understand Reagan’s policies, start with what came before. Since the late 1940s, U.S. foreign policy had usually followed **containment**: the idea that communism should be prevented from spreading further. Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon all worked within that broad framework, even when they used different methods.

Reagan’s approach was more aggressive. He and many of his supporters believed that the United States had been too cautious in the 1970s. Détente had reduced tensions, but conservatives argued that the Soviet Union had taken advantage of that period by expanding its influence in places such as Afghanistan, Africa, and Central America. Reagan therefore backed anti-communist resistance movements abroad rather than simply defending areas already outside communist control.

> **Key Term: containment**
> The Cold War policy of preventing the spread of communism into new regions.
>
> **Key Term: rollback**
> A more aggressive strategy than containment, aiming to weaken or reverse communist control rather than only stop its expansion.

This distinction matters on APUSH essays. If a prompt asks how Reagan changed Cold War policy, do not just say “he fought communism.” Every Cold War president did that. The higher-level point is that Reagan often favored supporting forces that would challenge existing communist or leftist governments.

Reagan also framed the Cold War in moral terms. In his **1983** “evil empire” speech, he described the Soviet Union as a deeply wrong system, not simply a rival state. That language signaled that Reagan did not see coexistence as enough. He wanted the United States to pressure the Soviet bloc openly.

At the same time, avoid oversimplifying this into a cartoon version of “Reagan ended communism by being tough.” APUSH rewards subtlety. Tough rhetoric mattered, but so did Soviet weakness, internal reform, and negotiation.

> **Test Tip:** In an LEQ or SAQ, compare Reagan to earlier presidents by using the phrase “continuity and change.” Continuity: anti-communism and intervention remained central. Change: Reagan more openly backed anti-communist insurgencies and used sharper ideological rhetoric.

### Central America and the Caribbean: Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Grenada

The clearest APUSH evidence for Reagan confronting communism abroad is in Central America and the Caribbean. These examples are usually stronger than vague claims about “fighting communism everywhere.”

In **Nicaragua**, the leftist **Sandinistas** had taken power in **1979**, overthrowing the Somoza dictatorship. Reagan viewed the Sandinista government as a dangerous Soviet- and Cuban-aligned foothold in the Western Hemisphere. His administration therefore supported the **Contras**, anti-Sandinista rebels trying to overthrow that government.

> **Key Term: Sandinistas**
> The leftist government that ruled Nicaragua after 1979 and was opposed by the Reagan administration.
>
> **Key Term: Contras**
> Anti-Sandinista rebels in Nicaragua backed by the Reagan administration during the 1980s.

Nicaragua is important because it shows both Reagan’s goals and the controversy around them. Supporters of Contra aid argued that the United States had to stop another communist-style regime from consolidating power near U.S. borders. Critics argued that the Contras committed abuses and that the administration was backing forces that did not represent democracy or human rights.

That moral contradiction is a common exam angle. Reagan often said he was defending freedom, but in practice anti-communism often came first. In APUSH, this is a strong evaluative point: U.S. policy did not always support democratic values consistently.

In **El Salvador**, Reagan supported the government against leftist guerrillas, especially the **FMLN**. Here too, the administration prioritized anti-communist stability over concerns about human rights abuses by U.S.-backed forces. This is a good example to use if a prompt asks how Cold War priorities shaped foreign policy.

In **Grenada**, Reagan took a different kind of action. In **October 1983**, the United States invaded the island after a Marxist-led government took power. Reagan justified the move partly as a way to protect American citizens and resist Soviet-Cuban influence in the Caribbean.

> **Key Term: invasion of Grenada**
> The 1983 U.S. military action against Grenada’s Marxist-led government, showing Reagan’s willingness to use direct force against perceived communist influence.

Grenada is especially useful because it is easy to distinguish from Nicaragua. In Nicaragua, the U.S. mainly backed insurgents. In Grenada, the U.S. used direct military force. That difference can earn comparison points.

Another important case, though less central in many textbooks, was Afghanistan. Reagan increased aid to the **mujahideen** fighting the Soviet occupation. This fit the Reagan Doctrine as well: support anti-Soviet forces and raise the cost of Soviet expansion.

> **Test Tip:** If a question asks for specific evidence, use named places: Nicaragua, El Salvador, Grenada. AP readers reward precise examples more than broad claims like “Reagan opposed communism around the world.”

### Iran-Contra and the limits of presidential power

The most famous scandal connected to Reagan’s foreign policy was the **Iran-Contra affair**. It matters because it was not just a scandal about secrecy. It was also about the Constitution, checks and balances, and Congress’s control over spending.

Congress had passed the **Boland Amendment** in stages between **1982** and **1984**, restricting or prohibiting U.S. aid intended to support the Contras. Many members of Congress feared the administration was dragging the country into another messy foreign conflict and did not trust the Contras themselves.

> **Key Term: Boland Amendment**
> A series of congressional restrictions in the 1980s limiting or banning U.S. aid to the Contras in Nicaragua.

Reagan officials still wanted to keep helping the Contras. The workaround they developed was to secretly facilitate arms sales to **Iran** and divert proceeds from those sales to the Contras. When this became public in **1986**, it produced a major political scandal.

> **Key Term: Iran-Contra affair**
> The scandal in which Reagan administration officials secretly sold arms to Iran and diverted money from those sales to aid the Contras, bypassing congressional restrictions.

Why was this so serious? First, Iran was itself a highly controversial country for the United States to deal with, especially after the Iran hostage crisis under Carter. Second, the administration appeared to be bypassing Congress’s constitutional authority over appropriations, often called the **power of the purse**.

This is where APUSH students should move beyond simple description. The issue was not only “a scandal happened.” The deeper point is that the affair revealed tension between an activist Cold War presidency and congressional attempts to limit executive action.

Some defenders argued that Reagan’s goals were good and that defeating communism justified unusual measures. Critics argued that this logic was dangerous because it weakened constitutional checks. That debate makes Iran-Contra useful for both foreign policy and domestic politics essays.

A named figure worth remembering here is **Oliver North**, a National Security Council staff member who became closely associated with the affair. Reagan denied direct knowledge of the full operation, but the scandal still damaged the administration.

### SDI, Gorbachev, and the turn from pressure to diplomacy

Reagan’s foreign policy was not only about proxy conflicts. It also involved direct pressure on the Soviet Union through defense spending, rhetoric, and technology. The most famous example was the **Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)**, announced in **1983**.

> **Key Term: Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)**
> Reagan’s proposed missile-defense system, nicknamed “Star Wars,” intended to protect the United States from nuclear attack and increase pressure on the USSR.

SDI was important symbolically even though it was not deployed as a complete shield. It suggested that the United States would seek technological superiority rather than accept permanent vulnerability under mutual nuclear deterrence. Critics doubted whether it would work. Supporters believed it would pressure the Soviets to spend more and negotiate.

Reagan also supported a large military buildup more generally. Some historians argue this helped strain the Soviet economy, which was already under pressure. But APUSH requires balance: do not claim that SDI alone “won” the Cold War. That is too simple and historically weak.

The real turning point came when **Mikhail Gorbachev** became Soviet leader in **1985**. Gorbachev introduced **glasnost** and **perestroika**, reforms meant to open and restructure the Soviet system. He also wanted to reduce tensions because the Soviet economy was struggling and could not indefinitely match the arms race.

> **Key Term: glasnost**
> Gorbachev’s policy of greater openness in Soviet society.
>
> **Key Term: perestroika**
> Gorbachev’s policy of restructuring the Soviet economy and political system.

Here is the key APUSH argument: Reagan’s policy combined confrontation and negotiation. Early in the decade, his actions heightened tensions. Later, with Gorbachev in power, he shifted toward summit diplomacy.

The major Reagan-Gorbachev summits were:

- **Geneva (1985)**
- **Reykjavik (1986)**
- **Washington (1987)**
- **Moscow (1988)**

These meetings improved relations even though Reagan and Gorbachev still disagreed, especially over SDI. The biggest achievement was the **INF Treaty** in **1987**.

> **Key Term: INF Treaty**
> The 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, signed by Reagan and Gorbachev, which eliminated an entire class of intermediate-range nuclear missiles.

The INF Treaty was historically important because it did more than cap weapons. It actually eliminated a whole category of missiles and included on-site inspections. That makes it one of the strongest pieces of evidence for the Cold War thaw in the late 1980s.

Reagan’s **1987** Brandenburg Gate speech—“Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”—also symbolised continued pressure on the Soviet bloc, but by then the broader relationship was already changing through negotiation.

### How to use this topic in APUSH essays

This subtopic appears often in causation, comparison, and continuity/change questions.

For **causation**, you can argue that Reagan’s pressure campaign contributed to the end of the Cold War by:

- increasing military and economic pressure on the USSR
- supporting anti-communist resistance abroad
- pushing the Soviets toward negotiation

But a strong answer must qualify that claim. Add:

- Soviet economic weakness
- Gorbachev’s reforms
- declining Soviet control in Eastern Europe

For **comparison**, compare:

- **containment** under earlier presidents vs **rollback-style pressure** under Reagan
- indirect aid in **Nicaragua** vs direct invasion in **Grenada**
- early Reagan confrontation vs late Reagan diplomacy

For **continuity and change**, a model argument would be:

- continuity: the U.S. remained interventionist and anti-communist, as it had been since Truman
- change: Reagan took a more openly ideological tone and more aggressively backed insurgencies against leftist regimes

If the prompt asks about the **end of the Cold War**, avoid writing as if Reagan alone caused it. APUSH readers are looking for multi-causal analysis. A better judgment is that Reagan’s policies mattered, but they worked in combination with internal Soviet problems and Gorbachev’s willingness to reform.

> **Test Tip:** For an LEQ thesis, use a balanced structure: “Reagan’s foreign policy significantly intensified pressure on communist governments through the Reagan Doctrine, SDI, and anti-Soviet rhetoric; however, the end of the Cold War also depended on Soviet economic weakness and Gorbachev’s reforms.”

## Key Point Checklist

_This article has covered the following key knowledge points:_

- The Reagan Doctrine involved support for anti-communist governments and insurgencies in the 1980s
- Reagan’s strategy went beyond containment toward a more aggressive rollback approach
- Key examples of Reagan’s anti-communist policy include Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Grenada
- The Contras were anti-Sandinista rebels backed by the Reagan administration
- The Boland Amendment restricted U.S. aid to the Contras and set up the Iran-Contra conflict
- The Iran-Contra affair revealed tension between presidential foreign policy goals and Congress’s power of the purse
- Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) symbolised a harder line in the arms race
- Reagan’s “evil empire” rhetoric showed his sharp ideological opposition to the USSR
- Mikhail Gorbachev’s rise in 1985 helped shift U.S.-Soviet relations toward negotiation
- Reagan and Gorbachev met in four major summits between 1985 and 1988
- The INF Treaty of 1987 eliminated an entire class of nuclear missiles
- The end of the Cold War was multi-causal and cannot be explained by Reagan alone

## Key Terms and Concepts

- Reagan Doctrine
- containment
- rollback
- Sandinistas
- Contras
- invasion of Grenada
- Boland Amendment
- Iran-Contra affair
- Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)
- glasnost
- perestroika
- INF Treaty


The End of the Cold War - Reagan confronts communism abroad