This Day in History - "Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall"

On this day in 1987, President Ronald Reagan challenged Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down" the Berlin Wall. Reagan stood at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin and gave one of his most famous Cold War speeches. It was a dramatic and powerful speech--probably my favorite out of all his speeches.

After Germany's defeat in World War II, Berlin was divided into four sections. America, Britain, and France controlled the western region and the Soviet Union gained power in the eastern region. In August 1961, the East German government constructed the Berlin Wall to prevent its citizens from escaping to the west.

Two years later, on November 9, 1989, East and West Germans broke down the infamous Berlin Wall. Germany was officially reunited on October 3, 1990.

You can read more at http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/reagan-challenges-gorbachev

This Day in History - Ronald Reagan Born

On this day in 1911, the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Wilson Reagan was born. He was born to Nelle and John Reagan in Tampico, Illinois. He attended Dixon High School and then Eureka College, where he studied economics and sociology. He also played football and acted in school plays. Reagan graduated during the Great Depression, and with few prospects, began working in radio in Iowa broadcasting for football and other sports.

In 1937, Reagan was offered a seven-year contract by Warner Brothers. The role he is most well-known for is that of George Gipp of Notre Dame from the film Knute Rockne - All-American. "The film told the story of the legendary Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne (played by Pat O’Brien), who died in a plane crash in 1931. Gipp was the walk-on who became Rockne’s star player and died of a throat infection two weeks after his final game. During his political career, Reagan would reprise the now-immortal line 'Win one for the Gipper' from his deathbed scene in the film."

While president of the Screen Actors Guild, Reagan led the union through volatile years as accusations of Communism ran rampant in Hollywood. In the 1950s, he hosted General Electric Theater and traveled the country giving speeches as the GE spokesman. During these years, his political views shifted from liberal to conservative. In 1962, Reagan officially switched his political affiliation, claiming, "I didn't leave the Democratic Party. The party left me." Two years later, Reagan entered the political arena with his speech at a fundraiser for Barry Goldwater, the Republican presidential candidate. In 1966 he was elected Governor of California and then re-elected in 1970.

Ronald Reagan won the Republican Presidential nomination in 1980. The nation's concern over the Iran Hostage Crisis, helped Reagan defeat Jimmy Carter. In 1981, at the age of 69, he was the oldest man in history to take office as U.S. president. Only 69 days into his presidency, Reagan was shot by would-be assassin, John Hinckley Jr., but quickly recovered.

In 1984, Reagan and his vice-president, George Bush, easily beat Democratic candidate Walter Mondale and his running mate, Geraldine Ferraro. Reagan carried 49 out of 50 states. Skillful in obtaining legislation to stimulate economic growth, curb inflation, increase employment, and strengthen national defense, he also obtained an overhaul of the income tax code. Reagan's "peace through strength" policy of national defense was influential in ending the Cold War, but it also led to a large deficit.

Though his presidency weathered scandals, Reagan remained popular throughout his eight years in office and the nation enjoyed its longest recorded period of peacetime prosperity. In 1994, Reagan disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He died ten years later at the age of 93.

For more about Ronald Reagan, you can visit:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ronald-reagan-born

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/ronaldreagan 

http://www.reaganfoundation.org/

Reagan quotes:

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.

Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.

All great change in America begins at the dinner table.

Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States.

We are never defeated unless we give up on God.

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge - Letter R

Today closes out the third week of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. I hope you're enjoying these posts.

Ronald Reagan was the 40th president of the United States. Born in Illinois in 1911, he earned a Bachelor's Degree in economics and sociology from Eureka College. After a brief career in radio broadcasting, Reagan moved to Los Angeles and became an actor. A staunch Democrat, he changed political parties in 1962 and delivered a powerful speech for Barry Goldwater's presidential candidacy in 1964.

Reagan was elected governor of California in 1966. In 1968, shortly after beginning his term as governor, Reagan sought the Republican presidential nomination, running unsuccessfully against Richard M. Nixon. Reagan was re-elected as governor in 1970, but declined to run for a third term.

Reagan ran unsuccessfully against Gerald Ford for the 1976 Republican presidential nomination, but Ford went on to lose to Democrat Jimmy Carter for president. Embroiled with domestic problems and the Iran hostage crisis, Jimmy Carter lost his bid for reelection to Ronald Reagan in 1980.

Not even 100 days into his first term, an attempt was made on Reagan's life. He became the first president to survive an assassination attempt. Believing big government to be a problem, Reagan attempted to stimulate the economy with large, across-the-board tax cuts and the slashing of government programs. Reagan's policy of trickle-down economics was criticized as helping the wealthy more than those suffering in poverty, and the 80s soon became known as "The Decade of Greed." His "peace through strength" policy supported a large military build up. Reagan denounced the Soviet Union as an evil empire and during a moving address in Berlin in the summer of 1987, he called for General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall." A series of summits with Gorbachev would lead to the signing of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty at the White House. By 1989, the Cold War was over and the Soviet Union collapsed.

The invasion of Grenada, the firing of more than 11,000 striking air traffic controllers, and the Iran-Contra affair tested public support of Reagan, but he would leave office as the most popular president since Dwight D. Eisenhower. Ronald Reagan died in 2004, after battling Alzheimer's Disease for 10 years.

This Day in History - June 12, 1987

On June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan gave one of his most memorable Cold War speeches.
President Reagan stood at Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, Germany and challenged General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to open the gate dividing Germany.

"There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable; that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."

Reagan would go on to pledge America's efforts to overcome the fear of war and pain of division. He spoke against Soviet expansion. His philosophy of peace through strength was clearly stated. He called for a reduction in arms on both sides. He called for the protestors from the past and those currently protesting to mark the fact that because we (Western Alliance) remained strong, the Soviets came back to negotiation table.

A little over two years later, The Berlin Wall came down. In the video below, TIME Magazine photographer, Anthony Suau talks about the fall of The Berlin Wall. He was sent in to photograph this historic event.

While I was only a year out of high school and home with a two-week old baby during Reagan's speech, I vividly remember the November 1989 coverage of The Berlin Wall being torn down. It still brings me to tears.