Reagan's Secret War: The Untold Story of His Fight to Save the World from Nuclear Disaster

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Reagan's Secret War: The Untold Story of His Fight to Save the World from Nuclear Disaster

by Martin Anderson, Annelise Anderson

4.00 · rating details · 13 ratings · 1 review

On February 6, 1981, at his first National Security Council meeting, Ronald Reagan told his advisers: “I will make the decisions.” As Reagan’s Secret War reveals, these words provide the touchstone for understanding the extraordinary accomplishments of the Reagan administration, including the decisive events that led to the end of the Cold War.

In penning this book, New Yo...moreOn February 6, 1981, at his first National Security Council meeting, Ronald Reagan told his advisers: “I will make the decisions.” As Reagan’s Secret War reveals, these words provide the touchstone for understanding the extraordinary accomplishments of the Reagan administration, including the decisive events that led to the end of the Cold War.

In penning this book, New York Times bestselling authors Martin Anderson and Annelise Anderson drew upon their unprecedented access to more than eight million highly classified documents housed within the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California—unseen by the public until now. Using his top secret clearances, Martin Anderson was able to access Ronald Reagan’s most privileged exchanges with subordinates and world leaders as well as the tactical record of how Reagan fought to win the Cold War and control nuclear weapons.

The most revelatory of these documents are the minutes of Reagan-chaired National Security Council meetings, the dozens of secret letters sent by Reagan to world leaders, and the eyewitness notes from Reagan-Gorbachev summits. Along with these findings, the authors use Reagan’s speeches, radio addresses, personal diaries, and other correspondence to develop a striking picture of a man whose incisive intelligence, uncanny instincts, and quiet self-confidence changed the course of history.

What emerges from this treasure trove of material is irrefutable evidence that Reagan intended from his first days in office to bring down the Soviet Union, that he considered eliminating nuclear weapons his paramount objective, and that he—not his subordinates—was the principal architect of the policies that ultimately brought the Soviets to the nuclear-arms negotiating table. The authors also affirm that many of Reagan’s ideas, including his controversial “Star Wars” missile-defense initiative, proved essential in dissolving the Soviet Union and keeping America safe.

Riveting and eye-opening, Reagan’s Secret War provides a front-row seat to history, a journey into the political mind of a remarkable leader, and proof that one man can, through the force of his deep convictions, bring about sweeping global change.

From the Hardcover edition.(less)

Hardcover, 464 pages

Published June 2nd 2009 by Crown

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Jun 11, 2010

Zach rated it

Shelves: 2010-books, audio-books, audio-books-2010, international-relations, nuclear-policy

Disappointing.
The authors' use of Reagan's speeches as well as recently classified documents and access to Reagan's diaries does provide a resource of primary source material. However, the authors do not provide much analysis or insight. Often, the documents are simply put in the text as if they alone will support the authors' obviously pro-Reagan view.

The book could have also been intersting as an insiders' account of the Reagan White House during a critical period. Howe...moreDisappointing.
The authors' use of Reagan's speeches as well as recently classified documents and access to Reagan's diaries does provide a resource of primary source material. However, the authors do not provide much analysis or insight. Often, the documents are simply put in the text as if they alone will support the authors' obviously pro-Reagan view.

The book could have also been intersting as an insiders' account of the Reagan White House during a critical period. However, the authors do not provide much of their own personal knowledge nor do they appear to have attempted to obtain viewpoints of other key participants either through interviews or their own personal reflections.

I recently read Arsenal of Folly by Richard Rhodes, which had a decidely liberal view of the issue of US-Soviet disarment efforts.
I thought that this would be a good counterpoint, it was not.

I went into this understanding that the author had worked with the Reagan administration and would have their own perspective (bias). I hoped that their access would provide an inside view of what went on in the White House during critical moments in during the Cold War and the negotiation process. It does not. Much of this book is filled with excerpts from Reagan's speeches or somewhat tepid portions of Reagan's diaries which only appear to be rough drafts of those speeches. There is little or no discussion about the internal issues within the White House or Reagana's own decision process. The author when responding to Soviet counterstatements or other critcism of Reagan quotes more speeches or press releases as if we should take these at their word. There is no discussion about what other actions Reagan took to back up his statements. Also, there is no discussion or consideration of the Soviet view. For example, the author keeps going back to the idea that how could the Soviets oppose missile defense, as it was "defensive". Yes, it is true that it is a defensive system, but right or not, it can also be seen as a way to ensure nuclear dominance and at the very least to preserver a massive second stirke capability.

The book is also not helped by the tone, which is unabashedly pro-Reagan. It seems as every other speech is described as "brilliant" or that it frequently states that Reagan "acted decisvely" or "took charge" or phrases such as "Reagan's opponents intentionally mischaracterized his policies." Whether or not such actions were "intentional" was not relevant to the passage, more importnatly the authors provide no support or clarification of this statement.

Overall, the book provides some interesting moments about Reagan's presidency, but be prepared that much of it may read as a lionization of President Reagan rather than a neutral, journalistic effort or an insightful memoir from a former insider. (less)

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