Document 9
This article was written by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev following the death of former President
Ronald Reagan on June 5, 2004.
… Ronald Reagan’s first term as president had been dedicated to restoring America’s selfconfidence.
He appealed to the traditions and optimism of the people, to the American dream,
and he regarded as his main task strengthening the economy and the military might of the
United States. This was accompanied by confrontational rhetoric toward the Soviet Union, and
more than rhetoric—by a number of actions that caused concern both in our country and among
many people throughout the world. It seemed that the most important thing about Reagan was
his anti-Communism and his reputation as a hawk who saw the Soviet Union as an “evil empire.”
Yet his second term as president emphasized a different set of goals. I think he understood that
it is the peacemakers, above all, who earn a place in history. This was consistent with his
convictions based on experience, intuition and love of life. In this he was supported by Nancy—
his wife and friend, whose role will, I am sure, be duly appreciated.…
In the final outcome, our insistence on dialogue proved fully justified. At a White House
ceremony in 1987, we signed the intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty, which launched the
process of real arms reduction. And, even though we saw the road to a world free of nuclear
weapons differently, the very fact of setting this goal in 1986 in Reykjavik [Iceland] helped to
break the momentum of the arms race.…
Source: Mikhail Gorbachev, “A President Who Listened,” New York Times, June 7, 2004
According to Mikhail Gorbachev, how did President Ronald Reagan’s attitude toward the Soviet Union
change during his second term?