Ronald Wilson Reagan

On November 4, 1979, several Iranian revolutionaries and communist supporters invaded the US Embassy Building in Tehran and took 54 Americans hostage.6 The crisis weakened Americans’ trust in their government and president, particularly as it happened during the campaign cycle. The fear of communism was real, and to Americans, it seemed that President Carter was doing nothing to save the hostages.1

444 days later, on January 20, 1981, Ronald Reagan was sworn in as the 40th president of the United States.5 His inauguration took place only hours after the American hostages were released, literally bringing instant popularity to his administration.

While the end of the Iranian Hostage Crisis did not come about due to Reagan’s actions, it was a fitting opening to his presidency. It would come to represent much of the diplomacy Reagan would employ during his time in office.

But what is diplomacy? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it is both “the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations” and “skill in handling affairs without arousing hostility.”4

Author Shannon Hale takes the definition further in her book Princess Academy using her 8 Rules of Diplomacy: Build on common ground; State the problem; Admit your own error; State the error of the other party; Propose specific compromises; Invite mutual acceptance; Illustrate the negative outcome of refusal and positive of acceptance; and Assert a deadline for acceptance.2 These rules give a clearer definition not only of what diplomacy is but also how it is to be used.

Combining these definitions and explanations of diplomacy, the character of a diplomat can be seen. Diplomats are educated communicators who are charismatic and empathetic, and who hold to their values while also being willing to compromise. Ronald Wilson Reagan fits this definition of a diplomat.

Reagan was born on February 6, 1911, in Tampico, Illinois.3 Education was important to his family, and as a result he learned to read before he was five years old. He loved football and wanted to play for the high school team, but was often left on the sidelines because he was so small and skinny. In response, he built muscle by becoming a lifeguard. Over the seven years that he was employed as a lifeguard, he saved 77 people from drowning.3

After high school, Reagan received a half-tuition athletic scholarship to Eureka College. In order to afford the other half of the tuition, he worked various odd jobs. It as at this college that he found a passion for acting.

In order to build his acting experience, Reagan began to work as a radio sports announcer. He was so vibrant and dynamic that eventually, after seeing him during a trip to Hollywood with his sports team, the Warner Bros. offered him a seven-year contract. This contract was the springboard for his acting career, which lasted around 30 years.

In 1966, Reagan turned to politics as he ran for governor of California, campaigning as a “citizen politician.”3 After he won, he cut useless government spending, worked to free California of debt, and stopped riots over the Vietnam War on college campuses. Soon, Republicans around the country noticed Reagan’s success in California and wanted him to run for president.

It wasn’t long before he began to try. Despite his loss in his first and second campaigns, he persevered. In the 1980 election, with his wit and charm in the debates, as well as his firm set of values, he won by a landslide.

In foreign relations, he wanted to improve relations with the Soviet Union. In a historic series of meetings, he and Mikhail Gorbachev created a treaty to eliminate immediate-range nuclear weapons.5

However, Reagan did not tolerate communism. He made it a point to increase spending on the military, made it clear that he considered the Soviet Union an “evil empire,” and actively worked against communist expansion.1 In his famous speech given in West Berlin, Reagan boldly called for the eradication of the barriers between the Soviet Union and the rest of the world: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

From his life and presidency, it can be seen that Ronald Reagan was charismatic and empathetic. He was educated, and was even nicknamed “the great communicator.”3 He was willing to compromise but stuck to his values when it really mattered. He personified in full the traits of a diplomat.

Endnotes:

1Bennett, William J. America: the Last Best Hope. Vol. 2, Thomas Nelson, 2007.

2Hale, Shannon. Princess Academy. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015.

3Kent, Zachary, and Charles Abele. Ronald Reagan: Fortieth President of the United States. Childrens Press, 1989.

4“Diplomacy.” Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diplomacy. 

5“Ronald Reagan.” The White House, The United States Government, www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/ronald-reagan/. 

6“The Iranian Hostage Crisis.” Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State, history.state.gov/departmenthistory/short-history/iraniancrises.