Cold War Era Exam

1). Basically, Ronald Reagan has been given most of the credit for ending the Cold War because he was actually president during the end of it. It was his strong arm attitude that drove us to overpower the Soviet Union and take back control. Although it is true that many other Presidents contributed in breaking the Soviet Union, the ultimate end of the War was seen under Reagan's command. Reagan is credited with being an American hero - especially after he was shot by Brady while doing his duty for America. It was not as though he would have been able to do anything about his assassination attempt, but nevertheless he was deemed a hero for "taking a bullet for America." His Presidency started off with a bang when all of Jimmy Carter's struggles were ended when the hostages were released during his inauguration. While belittling Carter, this raised Reagan on a platform as a great and successful star to his career. It was things like these that helped him in his popularity - even though he did little to set the hostages free, the release of the prisoners was in essence because of him, or rather, the ending of Carter's presidency. It was Reagan's talk of the "evil empire" that finally got America together and ultimately helped us win the cold war over the Soviet Union.

(this was the last one I wrote... I know its not very good :/ )

2). The presidents involved in the Watergate and Iran Contra scandals were two very different people, with different personality traits and a different way of dealing with situations. To begin, Nixon had none of the suave and gentlemanly effect that Ronald Reagan had. Reagan had been an actor previously, and knew how to convey himself and being charming for a crowd or camera. Compared to Reagan, Nixon had little appeal in that regard, and even less as the truth about his personality unfolded.

Richard Nixon's scandal was more insulting the American people in general. During the election season of 1972, Richard's Dirty Tricks Squad broke into the Democratic Headquarters in the Watergate Complex in an attempt to uncover information which would lead to the downfall of the Democratic Party. Right after, nearly 6 days, Nixon was able to hush the break in and the American populace never heard about this unethical scandal. From the start, Nixon was sliming his way into office with bad politics and bad manners. This was an immediate insult the the American people, even though they would not know of his doings until over a year later. Tapes were found of Nixon's conversations in the White House, some of which he cursed violently and disrespected his office. This was insulting to the American people because he had shamed the office of President by using such foul language inside it. As President we expect our leader to conduct himself in a proper way (at least while holding conferences in the White House). As well as uncovering his bad language, the fact that he was behind the break-ins at Watergate made the American people feel ignorant for trusting him and letting him hold such a prestigious office in the first place. Over all, Nixon had little charm or reliability, and ended up leading to his own downfall.

Ronald Reagan, however did not make the American people feel nearly as stupid and disappointed as Nixon did. Ronald Reagan possessed many more good attributes than Nixon, and was able to seem respectable and classy (at least to the face of America). Although the Iran Contra Affair was nothing to be proud of, the people did not take it as quite as personal a blow. It was not as shocking as Nixon's scandal had been; a direct hit to the face of America. When compared to what Reagan is credited for - ending a fifty year long war that had been present in many voter's entire lives, it pales in comparison. Liberating America from the grip of the Cold War is far more redeeming, while a few illegally sold weapons seemed hardly a comparison.

In short, Reagan got away with what he did because of his character and the fact that he had a good deed to cancel out the scandal that he committed. Nixon had no such great deed he had done, and even so the nature of his acts were such that not many would have forgiven him even if he had.

3). There are several major events that happened during the era of the cold war, and each of them are important in establishing the course that America took and how all events played out. An example of three of these are the Watergate Scandal of Richard Nixon, the Malaise Speech given by Jimmy Carter, and the Iran Contra Affair under President Ronald Reagan. Each of these are significant because they all provide insight into how the public viewed each president and the general state of the American Population and its leaders.

Beginning with the Watergate Scandal in the year 1972, it is clear even after a small amount of research that most of Nixon's career during the election season of 1972 to his presidency in 1973, there were many misdeeds and corrupt politics coming into play in the White House. Nixon was the head of a team of his closest advisers, aptly deemed the "Dirty Tricks" squad. All of these men were in a high ranking in politics, and all held a strong desire to win, whatever morals they had to trample to get there. During the election season, the Dirty Tricks squad broke into the Watergate Complex to try to uncover secret information on the Democratic Party. This was not only illegal, but unethical and immoral as well. Had this been taken more seriously, the American populace probably would not have elected him. However, Nixon was sworn into office and continued his streak of disrespect throughout his career. This was unknown until a certain thing about Nixon was revealed; it was called the Smoking Gun. This Smoking Gun pointed at Nixon for the Watergate break in and several more unappealing deeds. It was Nixon himself that lead to his own demise; he had a secret tape recorder in his office where every conversation was recorded. He intended to use it for his own good, yet it lead to America finally knowing who he truly was. Although Nixon was not always suspected, everything turned around once the cat was out of the bag. America veiwed him in a completely different light, as a scoundrel and a liar.

Secondly, the Malaise speech. Jimmy Carter believed that America was running on existentialism. He knew that the golden age of family oriented living was passing by very quickly, and could be extinct without some guidance or leadership. President Carter believed that the Americans were having a so called "Crisis of Confidence" where they not only felt un-united, but lost as well. Greed and an energy crisis was driving America into a materialistic state of mind. At the time, when James Carter first gave the speech, he suggested that the problem was not in the leaders of this country, but in the people as a whole. He suggested that Americans go back to their roots and seek what is truly important: companionship, love, and family, not goods, money, and gasoline. When he first gave the Malaise Speech, the people of America did not take to it, simply because it was not what they wanted to hear. No one in a time of Crisis wants to hear that the crisis is their fault, rather they wish to blame it on someone in a leadership role. However, when we look back today and realize that we are in much the same problem, we are able to think more clearly and realize that what President Carter was saying is completely true. As always, hindsight is 20/20.

Lastly the Iran Contra Affair. Ronald Reagan is known to some as a very great President who deserves to go down in history as one of America's best. Compared to a person such as Reagan and all that he accomplished during his Presidency, an affair such as the Iran Contra seems almost pointlessly small to worry about. Reagan is credited with the end of the Cold War, a fifty year long ordeal. Americans would probably be so happy about this prospect that they could completely overlook the fact that Reagan broke the law. At the time of the Iran Contra Affair, it was a lot bigger deal, but due to Reagan's charm and way of manipulating the camera, it was mostly forgotten by the current age. People that lived through it may look back and have an opinion on it, but it is not the most striking thing they remember about Reagan and his term as Presidency.

Each president had a different way of carrying himself, and each of these ways payed off in one way or another. Sometimes the American people appreciated each deed for what it truly was worth, but others they were blinded by their ignorance and passion. It is true, however that each event changed America in one way or another.