| Ronald Reagan | |
|---|---|
| 40th President of the United States | |
|
In office January 20, 1981 - January 20, 1989 Vice President |
Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 - June 5, 2004) was an American actor turned politician who served as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He is widely emphasized in the show due to his renowned anti-Soviet diplomacy. He is notable for his "Evil Empire" speech where he derided the U.S.S.R. as the "Focus of evil in the modern world." This and the deployment of Pershing ballistic missiles to West Germany caused widespread alarm in the Soviet Union.
He initiated a broad step forward in comprehensive nuclear defense with the "Star Wars" program which was announced publicly in March 1983. This is also referenced in The Americans with both Elizabeth and Philip tasked with the gathering of design materials vital for keeping the increasingly precarious nuclear parity in status quo.
