Ronald Reagan, Support for the Contras (1984) Televised Speech, May 9, 1984
In 1984 the Cold War still raged, and Ronald Reagan was determined to fight communism. In the speech excerpted below, Reagan portrayed the Marxist Sandinista government of Nicaragua, which had been democratically elected, as a communist reign of terror. As early as November 1981, Reagan had secretly authorized the CIA to assist a group called the Contras, a term used to describe what were actually several anti-Sandinista organizations, some of which used terrorist tactics. Congress eventually became aware of this top-secret funding of the Contras, and it passed the Boland Amendment in 1984 to terminate it. The Reagan administration, however, continued to fund the Contras through other channels, including the sale of weapons to Iran. This policy became the focus of the Iran-Contra investigations in late 1986.
The defense policy of the United States is based on a simple premise: We do not start wars. We will never be the aggressor. We maintain our strength in order to deter and defend against aggression, to preserve freedom and peace. We help our friends defend themselves.
Central America is a region of great importance to the United States. And it is so close: San Salvador is closer to Houston, Texas, than Houston is to Washington, DC. Central America is America. It's at our doorstep, and it's become the stage for a bold attempt by the Soviet Union, Cuba, and Nicaragua to install communism by force throughout the hemisphere. . . .
Right now in El Salvador, Cuban-supported aggression has forced more than 400,000 men, women, and children to flee their homes. And in all of Central America, more than 800,000 have fled--many, if not most, living in unbelievable hardship. Concerns about the prospect of hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing Communist oppression to seek entry into our country are well-founded.
What we see in El Salvador is an attempt to destabilize the entire region and eventually move chaos and anarchy toward the American border. . . .
. . . So far, we have . . . provided just enough aid to avoid outright disaster, but not enough to resolve the crisis, so El Salvador is being left to slowly bleed to death. Part of the problem, I suspect, is not that Central America isn't important, but that some people think our administration may be exaggerating the threat we face. Well, if that's true, let me put that issue to rest.
I want to tell you a few things tonight about the real nature of the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua.
The Sandinistas, who rule Nicaragua, are Communists whose relationship and ties to Fidel Castro of Cuba go back a quarter of a century. . . .
The Cuban-backed Sandinistas made a major attempt to topple the Somoza regime in Nicaragua in the fall of 1978. They failed. They were then called to Havana, where Castro cynically instructed them in the ways of successful Communist insurrection. He told them to tell the world they were fighting for political democracy, not communism. But most important, he instructed them to form a broad alliance with the genuinely democratic opposition to the Somoza regime. Castro explained that this would deceive Western public opinion, confuse potential critics, and make it difficult for Western democracies to oppose the Nicaraguan revolution without causing great dissent at home. . . .
The Sandinistas listened and learned. They returned to Nicaragua and promised to establish democracy. . . . Well, Somoza left, and the Sandinistas came to power. This was a negotiated settlement, based on power-sharing between Communists and genuine democrats. . . .
The Sandinista rule is a Communist reign of terror. Many of those who fought alongside the Sandinistas saw their revolution betrayed. They were denied power in the new government. Some were imprisoned, others exiled. Thousands who fought with the Sandinistas have taken up arms against them and are now called the contras. They are freedom fighters. . . .
Shortly after taking power, the Sandinistas, in partnership with Cuba and the Soviet Union, began supporting aggression and terrorism against El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. They opened training camps for guerrillas from El Salvador so they could return to their country and attack its government. . . . Nicaragua is still the headquarters for Communist guerrilla movements. . . .
The Sandinista regime has been waging war against its neighbors since August of 1979. This has included military raids into Honduras and Costa Rica, which still continue today.
And they're getting a great deal of help from their friends. There were 165 Cuban personnel in Nicaragua in 1979. Today that force has grown to 10,000. And we're being criticized for having 55 military trainers in El Salvador. Manpower support is also coming from other parts of the terror network. The PLO has sent men, and so has Libya's dictator, Qadhafi. Communist countries are providing new military assistance, including tanks, artillery, rocket-launchers, and help in the construction of military bases and support facilities. . . .
. . . We Americans should be proud of what we're trying to do in Central America, and proud of what, together with our friends, we can do in Central America to support democracy, human rights, and economic growth while preserving peace so close to home. Let us show the world that we want no hostile Communist colonies here in the Americas--South, Central, or North.
Document Analysis
How did Reagan portray the Sandinistas? What other communist regimes did he identify as linked to the Sandinistas? How did he portray the Contras?
How did Reagan portray U.S. involvement in Nicaragua, and in Central America generally?
What have been the effects of American foreign policy in Latin America since the 1980's? Use three specific examples outside this reading in your answer.
1.How did Reagan portray the Sandinistas? What other communist regimes did he identify as linked to the Sandinistas? How did he portray the Contras? Reagan portrays the Sandanistas as an oppressive government who set up a communist reign of terror taking certain aspects of Castros regime. He states that the Sandanista regime was largely based on Castros Cuba, taking many tips and hints from Castro himself on setting up the government based on the Communist system.The contras on the other hand are described as freedom fighters and liberators of their country against the Sanandistas.2.How did Reagan portray U.S. involvement in Nicaragua, and in Central America generally? He described our involvement in Central America almost like a person would defend a family member, calling Central America still America and showing the geographical closeness of these countries in proximity to the U.S. as a reason why the U.S. should have become involved in Central America.
1. Reagan portrayed the Sandinistas as deceitful, dangerous, threatening agents of Communism. They could be seen as Communist puppets, linked to Castro in Cuba and the Soviets in the USSR. The Contras were depicted as freedom fighters. 2. Reagan drove the point that Central America was America. What happens there is not only important but essential to our well being. We are justified in exterminating the Communist threat from our front lawn, and safeguarding our borders. 3. Since the 1980s American Latin foreign relations has had its disappointments. One was the failure of Latin American countries to join and aid the US War on Terror actively under the Rio Treaty. The Falklands War of 1982 further weakened the relations.
1. How did Reagan portray the Sandinistas? What other communist regimes did he identify as linked to the Sandinistas? How did he portray the Contras?
Reagan said the Sandinistas were a regime of terror that were trying to spread communism through the western hemisphere. He linked the Sandinistas to Cuba and the Soviet Union as Communist powers. Reagan portrayed the Contras as freedom fighters.
2. How did Reagan portray U.S. involvement in Nicaragua, and in Central America generally?
He says the U.S. was supporting democracy and economic growth in these nations. He feels that Americans should be proud of the work we are doing and the fact that we are trying to establish disorder in Central America.
3. What have been the effects of American foreign policy in Latin America since the 1980's? Use three specific examples outside this reading in your answer.
In 2002 there was a Venezuelan coup detat attempt with alleged U.S. involvement. Many of these Latin American nations have seen their countries become democratized partly due to U.S. influence. After the September 11th attacks, many Latin American nations did not sign the Rio Treaty, thus refusing to join the war on terror.
did he identify as linked to the Sandinistas? How did he portray the Contras?
He portrayed them as freedom fighters who went astray when Castro taught them about communism and turned them into power hungry fiends who will use any tactic to undermine real democracy and pervert it to oppress others.He linked them to the Regimes of Fidel Castro in Cuba, Qadhafi in Libya, the Soviet Union, and the PLO of Palestine.He portrayed them as the real freedom-fighters that want real democracy and equality who were betrayed by the Sandinistas.
How did Reagan portray U.S. involvement in Nicaragua, and in Central America generally?
He portrays it as being something we as a free nation should be proud of and that so far are actual intervention in the region has been small compared to the measures the terror networks and communists have implemented and that we need to step it up to fight them off in order to preserve our hemisphere from their threat..
What have been the effects of American foreign policy in Latin America since the 1980's? Use three specific examples outside this reading in your answer.
The effects have been fairly weak as the countries in Latin America generally follow their own policies and do not see eye to eye with he U.S.For example the U.S. failed to get the countries of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Chile, and Nicaragua to agree on the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) agreement aka the ACLA which would have reduced trade barriers between countries in the Americas.Also in 2002 the U.S. failed to deal with and effectively support the coup which briefly overthrew President Hugo Chavezs regime in Venezuela and end the wide-scale corruption plaguing the country and others around it.The U.S. has also failed to effectively deal with Cuba and its communist regime thus far but as it is on the verge of a change in leadership the U.S. might seek to lift the embargo and create better relations with them.
How did Reagan portray the Sandinistas?What other communist regimes did he identify as linked to the Sandinistas?How did he portray the Contras?
He portrayed them as an evil Communist group with very strong ties to Fidel Castro.He also states that the Sandinistas have a partnership with the Soviet Union and further describes them as being terrorist who prey on the people of El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala.He portrays the Contras as freedom fighters He describes the Contras as individuals who had fought along side of the Sandinistas when they believed that the Sandinistas were fighting for democracy but now they are fighting against the Sandinistas.
How did Reagan portray U.S. government involvement in Nicaragua, and in Central America generally?
He describes the U.S. involvement as support for democracy and human rights and he also describes the U.S. as assisting with economic growth while maintaining peace in a nation in close proximityto our own.Hetells the American people that they should be proud of what the U.S. is doing in Central America.
What have been the effects of American foreign policy in Latin America since the 1980s? Use three specific examples outside this reading in your answer.
Under George H. Bush the United States led a successful campaign through the National Endowment for Democracy to defeat the Sandinistas in Nicaraguas 1990 election. Second, some of the nations that are part of the Organization of American States did stand by the United States in Iraq. The Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua joined forces with Spain to form the Plus Ultra Brigade in Iraq beginning in 2003.On the negative side, the United States has not been successful in getting all of the countries of Central America, South America and the Carribbean to agree on the Free Trade Area of the Americas.There has been strong opposition from the countries of Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia and Argentina.
How did Reagan portray the Sandinistas? What other communist regimes did he identify as linked to the Sandinistas? How did he portray the Contras? Regan identified the Sandinistas as troublesome communists, he also made it seem like they killed many for no reason, that they were barbaric. He said that Castro and the sandinistas had ties that go back to a quarter of a century from now. The contras or freedom fighters were portrayed as decent people, who werent afraid to stand up for what they believed in. The contras tried to make things correct in the place that they live. They were fighting for rights, change, and freedom. How did Reagan portray U.S. involvement in Nicaragua, and in Central America generally? Regan said that we had 55 military trainers in el Salvador. He made it seem like we didnt have a lot of influence or people over there, but the aid we brought was sufficient and effective in helping the con
1. Reagan portrayed the Sandinistas as evil communist fighters. He linked Castro and the communist regime in Cuba to the Sandinistas. He portrayed the contras as freedom fighters against the Sandinistas. 2. He portrayed our involvement as something to be proud of, that we should be proud of the fact that we are taking a strong stance against communism. 3. We have not been very successful in our foreign policy with Latin America. After 9/11 they refused to sign the Rio Treaty to help us in the War on Terror, also there was some evidence that their coup in 2002 was done with U.S. help. Also we were unable to have them get involved in the Free Trade Area of the Americas Treaty.
How did Reagan portray the Sandinistas? What other communist regimes did he identify as linked to the Sandinistas? How did he portray the Contras?
How did Reagan portray U.S. involvement in Nicaragua, and in Central America generally?
What have been the effects of American foreign policy in Latin America since the 1980's? Use three specific examples outside this reading in your answer.
1. He portrayed the Sandinistas as communists who were evil and killed for no reason. He linked them to Fidel Castro in Cuba. He portrayed the Contras as people who were fighting against the Sandinistas as freedom fighters.
2. He portrays US involvement in Nicaragua, and in Central America as a fight for democracy. He feels that the Americans should be very proud of the work they are doing.
3. The effects of American foreign policy are usually very weak and do not closely agree with the US. We were supposed to unilaterally open the US markey to Latin America, support a free-trade agreement with Chile, and support the free trade areas of America. We have not done much to open the US market to Latin America. We haven't shown any leadership in the free-trade agreements with either Chile or the areas of America either.
