Ronald Wilson Reagan, born February 6th 1911 had a difficult childhood in Illinois being brought up in a family that struggled to secure financial stability. He graduated from Eureka College in 1932 and went on to become a sports commentator. His career kicked off as an actor starring in films such as Brother Rat and Dark Victory. Twice was he elected as President of the Screen Actors Guild where he worked to extinguish communist influences. His political career kicked off in the 60s with him becoming Governor of California in 1966. A Republican, he gained national attention through his “A Time for Choosing” speech and after two unsuccessful runs for the the presidency he became the 40th US President January 20th 1981. He heightened tensions during the Cold War with his reversal of the policy of détente, ordering for an expansion of the U.S. Armed Forces after the Soviet War in Afghanistan. His presidency saw the production of the MX missile and backed by Margaret Thatcher he denounced the Soviet Union in ideological terms. His Reagan Doctrine provided aid to anti-communist resistance movements to suppress communists governments in Africa and the Americas. He had a warm relationship with Gorbachev and together they signed the INF Treaty to kick off the decision of nuclear disarmament. 10 months after Reagan left office the Berlin Wall was destroyed and the Cold War was officially declared over. At the end of his life he contracted pneumonia and having battled with Alzheimer’s for 10 years he died at the age of 93 June 5th, 2004. He now rests in Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California.
History is our Future 