6 hours Ago By TOM MURI
President Ronald Reagan’s leadership was instrumental in America and the West’s victory over the Soviet Union at the end of the almost 50-year Cold War in 1991. The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States, the Soviet Union, and their respective allies, lasting from 1947 to 1991. Although no direct military conflict occurred between the two superpowers, there were various and costly proxy wars in Korea, Vietnam and elsewhere.
The costly arms race saw the development of over 12,000 nuclear bombs that still exist. With the Truman Doctrine, announced in 1947, President Harry S. Truman established that the United States would provide political, military and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces.
All presidents, Democrats and Republicans, adhered to the Truman Doctrine — especially Presidents Kennedy and Reagan. Reagan's presidency in the 1980s hastened the Cold War victory. He rebuilt the military, especially the Navy.
In the process, he bankrupted the Soviet Union, leading to its demise in 1991. Americans can and should take pride in this victory. We believed in and followed decades of steadfast leadership by American presidents, Democrats and Republicans.
Americans stuck together against the aptly named “Evil Empire” bestowed upon the Soviet Union/Russia by President Reagan. The Cold War was fought and won by millions of American military members, with thousands of casualties during the Korean and Vietnam wars. The defining factor of the Cold War victory was a supportive home front, even during the trying era of Vietnam.
Americans believe in unity of purpose. Having served 20 years in the military during the later part of the 20th century, I speak for many veterans. We recognized that Communist/authoritarian countries such as the Soviet Union/Russia, China, North Vietnam, North Korea, Cuba, Iran, and Iraq were “evil” and our enemies.
They remain such today. North Korea’s “Dear Leader” has volunteered thousands of North Korean soldiers for Putin’s use as cannon fodder against Ukraine. Over 1,000 North Koreans have been killed, with total casualties exceeding 5,000.
Putin has no qualms about using severely wounded Russian soldiers to return to the front as cannon fodder. No longer of value to him as regular soldiers, they are an excellent means to clear mind fields. While President Donald Trump has done his best to rehabilitate Russian President Vladimir Putin, few Americans have a favorable view of Putin.
Yet, while the American people are against Putin, President Trump is very much for him. Americans face a test in the 21st century, just as our parents and grandparents in the 20th century. Will we side with America’s Silent Generation and the Greatest Generation of World War II and Korea, as well as with the Baby Boomers, with their service and sacrifices in Vietnam against such evil? Or will we side with Trump, who has never met an authoritarian dictator he disliked? Choose wisely, Americans choose wisely.
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