Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

Ronald W. Reagan was born February 6, 1911, and died June 5, 2004; Severed two terms as the 40th President of the United States of America from 1981 to 1989, succeeding President Jimmy Carter. Know as conservative Republican, hard-line anticommunist and skilled orator that earned him the nickname "the Great Communicator" (Ronald W. Reagan, 2013). Remembered for his foreign policies and is credited with the demise of the Soviet Union and ending the cold war and the Iran-Contra affair. Reagan is often credited with the release the remaining 51 American hostages that had been held captive in Iran for 444 days.

During the Jimmy Carter administration on November 4, 1979 Islamic revolutionaries stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran and captured 66 American hostages. The hostage crisis the most significant issue facing Americans in the final year of Carters final year as president and played a crucial roll in Carter not winning re-election (Iran hostage crisis. 2013). A political war was taking place in Iran with the left and right wing revolutionaries and their new leader, the Ayatollah Khomeini. The hostages were caught in the middle of the struggle. Iran issued the demand that as a condition of the hostage's release, the shah who had entered the United States to seek medical treatment be extradited back to Iran. Iran also insisted that the United States stopped interfering in Iranian affairs. 13 days into the crisis Iran ordered the release of 13 hostages; all of the hostages were either women or African American and considered unlikely to be spies. One more hostage, who had become ill, was also released on July 11, 1980 leaving the final tally of hostages at 52. On April 24, 1979 a military helicopter rescue was planned however the operation was plagued with issues from the very beginning. Three out of the eights helicopters to be used malfunctioned and were nonoperational. When the United States decided to abort the mission, one helo crashed into a support plane. The eight dead bodies were left behind and paraded on Iranian television, causing more humiliation for the Carter administration. Many believed Carter was going to have an "October Surprise and have the hostages returned home prior to the election, (Iran hostage crisis, 2013). Carter's final night as president was spent trying to have the hostages released fell short. All 52 hostages were released minutes after Reagan was sworn into office.

The Iran Contra affair scandal dominated the second half of the 80s and rocked the Reagan administration. In 1986 it was discovered that the Reagan administration had been secretly making deals with Iran to buy arms in return for freeing American hostages that were being held in Lebanon. Two week after the initial report it was announced that the profits from the arms deals had been funneled to the Contra rebels fighting in Nicaragua (Moss, 2013). This action was illegal because of Congress passing legislation prohibiting the U.S. military from providing aid to the rebels. The 48 million dollars in arms sales was conducted by National Security Council staff member, Marine Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North and overseen by National Security adviser Vice Admiral John Poindexter. President Reagan denied having any knowledge the arms for hostages' deals. On November 1, 1986, a magazine in Lebanon published a story with the details of the arm for hostages deals the America had made with Iranians, Iranian officials confirmed the story forcing the announcement that the money from the sales had been given to the Contras to help fund their war.

Fearing that another Watergate was unfolding, the American public began questioning Reagan's integrity and competence for the first time in his presidency approval rating dropped from 67% to 46% (Moss, 2013). In 1987 the congressional committee aired the proceeding that resulted in the conviction of the four prominent players, which was overturned during the appeals. The final report was critical of the President and stated that he was "ultimately responsible" for the wrongdoing. It also stated they believed the President new more about the arms sales that he had admitted (Iran-Contra Affair, 2004).

President Regan did not believe that detente with the Soviet Union was in the best interest of the world. He believed the Soviet considered America weak and vulnerable. Reagan wanted U.S. goals to be peace through strength. He felt by building up our economic and military it would show the world that no country could beat us in a war (Executive Power, 2011). Reagan cold war beliefs were to spread democracy around the world and prevent the spread of Soviet communism. The Soviets were unable keep up with America's advancement