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The Reagan Files: Inside The National Security Council
President Reagan and his top foreign policy advisers held over 350 National Security Council meetings during which they fought, debated, and eventually decided the course of American foreign policy. Benefiting from significant numbers of recently declassified top-secret white house documents, this edition of the "The Reagan Files: Inside the National Security Council" sheds new light on the inner-workings of the Reagan administration and the foreign policy decision-making process at the highest levels of government. “The Reagan Files” is ideally suited for college courses on the end of the cold war and the cold war in the third-world, and those generally interested in government and foreign policy.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
666 pages, Paperback
First published May 13, 2012
About the author
Jason Saltoun-Ebin
5 books12 followersJason Saltoun-Ebin is an attorney and independent historian. His research on the Reagan administration has resulted in the creation of www.TheReaganFiles.com, a freely accessible website used by scholars all over the world to study the Reagan administration.
His research has resulted in three substantial edited collections of documents from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. "The Reagan Files (Vol. 1)" is a collection dedicated to Reagan's top-secret efforts to win the Cold War. "The Reagan Files (Vol. 2): Inside the National Security Council" is an annotated collection of all the recently declassified National Security Council and National Security Planning Group meetings during the Reagan years. Most recently (2013), Saltoun-Ebin published "Dear Mr. President...Reagan/Gorbachev and the Correspondence that Ended the Cold War," an annotated and edited collection of over 40 letters between Reagan and Gorbachev.
Saltoun-Ebin lives in Santa Barbara, Calif., and can be reached by email at Thereaganfiles@gmail.com.
His research has resulted in three substantial edited collections of documents from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. "The Reagan Files (Vol. 1)" is a collection dedicated to Reagan's top-secret efforts to win the Cold War. "The Reagan Files (Vol. 2): Inside the National Security Council" is an annotated collection of all the recently declassified National Security Council and National Security Planning Group meetings during the Reagan years. Most recently (2013), Saltoun-Ebin published "Dear Mr. President...Reagan/Gorbachev and the Correspondence that Ended the Cold War," an annotated and edited collection of over 40 letters between Reagan and Gorbachev.
Saltoun-Ebin lives in Santa Barbara, Calif., and can be reached by email at Thereaganfiles@gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 2, 2014
To modify a famous quote, most people don’t want to know how sausage or government policy is made. In both instances the process is messy and it is frequently difficult to see how a palatable end product will ever come into being. But for government policy in a democracy, it is very important to know the details, even if it takes decades for them to come out.
In The Reagan Files: Inside The National Security Council, editor Jason Saltoun-Ebin (@TheReaganFiles) takes the reader inside the room as President Ronald Reagan and his top advisors formulate American foreign policy from 1981-1988. This hefty and fascinating reference book isn’t an interpreted history, but the raw material upon which such works are built. Simply put, it is a treasure trove of information for those seeking a much deeper understanding of Reagan’s foreign policy.
Although I haven’t read it cover to cover, I have gone through all of 1981 and selected entries from each of the following years, taking particular note of meetings held to discuss US-Soviet foreign policy and other issues of particular interest. This was the period of my early adulthood — Reagan’s election was the first I was old enough to vote in — and I was on active duty in the U.S. Navy for much of it, so I found a lot to be interested in. Mr. Saltoun-Ebin offered to send me a copy of this book after reading my review of The Triumph of Improvisation, James Graham Wilson’s look at the end of the Cold War.
The volume isn’t yet a complete picture as many meetings during this period remain classified and parts of some discussions are redacted. I used “yet” in that last sentence because I am confident Mr. Saltoun-Ebin will be updating the book as more material becomes available. In his Editor’s Note at the front, he expresses a commendable explanation for why: “I believe that if we want our leaders to act in the best interest of the public, those in the White House now, or in the future, must be aware that their actions and decisions will be made known to the American public.” I agree.
Where he can the editor lets briefing/decision documents and transcripts speak for themselves. When needed, Mr. Saltoun-Ebin provides excellent notes with background details and to place meetings in context with events. A great example is a meeting on November 9, 1982 to discuss modifying the sanctions imposed against the Soviet Union in response to events in Poland the year before. Those around the table could not know USSR General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev would die a few hours later, an event which began the process that eventually led to Mikhail Gorbachev’s ascendancy.
Helpfully, most of President Reagan’s comments are bolded to allow readers to easily find them. Some meetings bog down but much of what’s here is riveting, especially for readers with some background knowledge about the period and the personalities involved — Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and Secretary of State Al Haig put their alpha male credentials on frequent display and engage in spirited exchanges that edge close to bickering.
Along those lines, one of my favorite sections, liberally highlighted, is from the April 1, 1981 meeting. Vice President George H. W. Bush chaired the meeting as just two days earlier Reagan was critically injured in an assassination attempt. Secretary Weinberger casually tells the group his Defense Department has begun formal talks with Saudi Arabia about the sale of AWACs aircraft, a decision Bush and Haig are sure the president hasn’t made. Weinberger disagrees and the back-and-forth that follows highlights the loose management style cited by many of Reagan’s contemporary detractors (and eventually led to Iran-Contra).
This isn’t a book you’re likely to pick up for a rainy-day read. But, if you’re doing research on the period or the president and his advisors, or if you’re simply interested in knowing more about how foreign policy was formulated toward the end of the Cold War, this is an invaluable resource.
An additional resource which includes plenty of material to study, including scans of the original documents used to create the book, is the editor's website: The Reagan Files.
In The Reagan Files: Inside The National Security Council, editor Jason Saltoun-Ebin (@TheReaganFiles) takes the reader inside the room as President Ronald Reagan and his top advisors formulate American foreign policy from 1981-1988. This hefty and fascinating reference book isn’t an interpreted history, but the raw material upon which such works are built. Simply put, it is a treasure trove of information for those seeking a much deeper understanding of Reagan’s foreign policy.
Although I haven’t read it cover to cover, I have gone through all of 1981 and selected entries from each of the following years, taking particular note of meetings held to discuss US-Soviet foreign policy and other issues of particular interest. This was the period of my early adulthood — Reagan’s election was the first I was old enough to vote in — and I was on active duty in the U.S. Navy for much of it, so I found a lot to be interested in. Mr. Saltoun-Ebin offered to send me a copy of this book after reading my review of The Triumph of Improvisation, James Graham Wilson’s look at the end of the Cold War.
The volume isn’t yet a complete picture as many meetings during this period remain classified and parts of some discussions are redacted. I used “yet” in that last sentence because I am confident Mr. Saltoun-Ebin will be updating the book as more material becomes available. In his Editor’s Note at the front, he expresses a commendable explanation for why: “I believe that if we want our leaders to act in the best interest of the public, those in the White House now, or in the future, must be aware that their actions and decisions will be made known to the American public.” I agree.
Where he can the editor lets briefing/decision documents and transcripts speak for themselves. When needed, Mr. Saltoun-Ebin provides excellent notes with background details and to place meetings in context with events. A great example is a meeting on November 9, 1982 to discuss modifying the sanctions imposed against the Soviet Union in response to events in Poland the year before. Those around the table could not know USSR General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev would die a few hours later, an event which began the process that eventually led to Mikhail Gorbachev’s ascendancy.
Helpfully, most of President Reagan’s comments are bolded to allow readers to easily find them. Some meetings bog down but much of what’s here is riveting, especially for readers with some background knowledge about the period and the personalities involved — Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and Secretary of State Al Haig put their alpha male credentials on frequent display and engage in spirited exchanges that edge close to bickering.
Along those lines, one of my favorite sections, liberally highlighted, is from the April 1, 1981 meeting. Vice President George H. W. Bush chaired the meeting as just two days earlier Reagan was critically injured in an assassination attempt. Secretary Weinberger casually tells the group his Defense Department has begun formal talks with Saudi Arabia about the sale of AWACs aircraft, a decision Bush and Haig are sure the president hasn’t made. Weinberger disagrees and the back-and-forth that follows highlights the loose management style cited by many of Reagan’s contemporary detractors (and eventually led to Iran-Contra).
This isn’t a book you’re likely to pick up for a rainy-day read. But, if you’re doing research on the period or the president and his advisors, or if you’re simply interested in knowing more about how foreign policy was formulated toward the end of the Cold War, this is an invaluable resource.
An additional resource which includes plenty of material to study, including scans of the original documents used to create the book, is the editor's website: The Reagan Files.
May 4, 2014
If your a fan of Ronald Reagan, Gorbachev, or the cold war, you need to read this book. Although I haven't quite finished it (its rather lengthy but that's definitely not a bad thing), I find this book so interesting and fascinating. It's like your a fly on the wall listening to President Reagan prevent a World War III. I feel like I know Ronald Reagan better than I could by reading any number of biographies. To sum it up this is a really cool insight in to what was really going on.
November 29, 2020
“The Reagan Files” is history in real time. It consists of transcripts and, when those remained classified, summaries of meetings of the National Security Council during the whole Reagan Administration with a few transcripts from the Reykjavík Summit and phone calls with foreign heads of government.. It is unfiltered, without analysis other than what has or has not been declassified and what has been chosen for inclusion. The accounts cover the myriad of issues confronting the NSC including Iran, Panama, Lebanon, Libya and Qaddafi, the PLO, KAL 007 (Korean airliner shot down after straying into Soviet airspace), disarmament negotiations, missile deployment, SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative, Star Wars) aid to Poland during the period when Solidarity was challenging the Communist government, the Soviet gas pipeline to Europe, aid to the Contras in Nicaragua, among others.
Why would someone read history in the raw, without the perspective provided by analysis and context? I found several reasons why I am glad that I did. It provides a window into how NSC meetings are run. Each has one to three topics for discussion and, often, for decision. Participants generally include the President, Vice-President, principle cabinet officers such as Secretaries of State, Defense, Attorney General, and National Security Advisors or their representatives. Depending on the topic the Ambassador to the United Nations, Secretaries of Treasury, Commerce and Agriculture and lower level specialists would often attend. The topic would be presented and the participants would give their analysis, frequently in an institutional capacity, such as “the State Department believes”, “Defenses agrees”. Give and take would help focus the issues. Decision would either be reached by consensus or by the President. Vice-President Bush would interject occasionally but President Reagan, for the most part, would listen until a decision was called for.
The accounts also provide insights into the personalities involved. We can evaluate Alexander Haig, George Shultz, Casper Weinberger, Donald Regan, Jeanne Kirkpatrick and Ed Meese, just to name a few, in their own words.
Readers are able to understand the interests that drove policy decisions. They varied from issue to issue and were strategic, military, financial, commercial, agricultural and others we might not have thought of are realized how they influenced particular conclusions. One gains an appreciation or confirmation of President Reagan’s goal of defeating the Soviet Union and ridding the world of nuclear weapons.
This is a tome is organized chronologically (as it was lived) and that can be read straight through, which or you can choose particular topics in which you have an interest. The Table of Contents is very helpful if you pick and choose. It can serve as a reference when reading about a topic and want to get to what really happened or why it was handled as it was. Author Jason Saltoun-Ebin has performed a valuable service for history buffs, or amateur historians, who want to get the source material.
I did receive a free copy of this book without an obligation to post a review.
Why would someone read history in the raw, without the perspective provided by analysis and context? I found several reasons why I am glad that I did. It provides a window into how NSC meetings are run. Each has one to three topics for discussion and, often, for decision. Participants generally include the President, Vice-President, principle cabinet officers such as Secretaries of State, Defense, Attorney General, and National Security Advisors or their representatives. Depending on the topic the Ambassador to the United Nations, Secretaries of Treasury, Commerce and Agriculture and lower level specialists would often attend. The topic would be presented and the participants would give their analysis, frequently in an institutional capacity, such as “the State Department believes”, “Defenses agrees”. Give and take would help focus the issues. Decision would either be reached by consensus or by the President. Vice-President Bush would interject occasionally but President Reagan, for the most part, would listen until a decision was called for.
The accounts also provide insights into the personalities involved. We can evaluate Alexander Haig, George Shultz, Casper Weinberger, Donald Regan, Jeanne Kirkpatrick and Ed Meese, just to name a few, in their own words.
Readers are able to understand the interests that drove policy decisions. They varied from issue to issue and were strategic, military, financial, commercial, agricultural and others we might not have thought of are realized how they influenced particular conclusions. One gains an appreciation or confirmation of President Reagan’s goal of defeating the Soviet Union and ridding the world of nuclear weapons.
This is a tome is organized chronologically (as it was lived) and that can be read straight through, which or you can choose particular topics in which you have an interest. The Table of Contents is very helpful if you pick and choose. It can serve as a reference when reading about a topic and want to get to what really happened or why it was handled as it was. Author Jason Saltoun-Ebin has performed a valuable service for history buffs, or amateur historians, who want to get the source material.
I did receive a free copy of this book without an obligation to post a review.
May 17, 2013
I won this book as part of Goodreads' First Reads program in exchange for my review. I'll be honest, I was expecting something along the lines of Doris Kearns Goodwin's 'Team of Rivals', a nonfiction account of what went on behind closed between the President and his Cabinet. This is not quite like that, it's a verbatim minutes of meetings between President Reagan and the National Security Council. It's not exactly a book that you sit down to read cover to cover. Knowing that, it is still an impressive book that shows what happens behind closed doors. It would be a great reference book for anyone looking into foreign affairs or political science majors. For Reagan buffs, it showcases, Reagan's wit, humor, knowledge, and ability to control the meetings. I enjoyed the historical background that precedes the minutes, giving insight into what prompted the meetings, although some sections I was still pretty clueless about the background. Also, I would have loved a section at the beginning or end detailing who is who. Sure, we know Reagan, Bush, and Gorbachev, but they were plenty of people who I just had no idea who they were, what they were doing there, their expertise, etc. It would have been nice to see a little biography of the National Security Council.
May 17, 2013
President Reagan was one of those leaders who saw through the double talk and acted firmly when it came to dealing with the enemies of freedom. The politicians who surround the white house must have had nightmares the whole time he was in office. I wish he could have had 2 more terms and maybe the world would be truely peacefull I would rank him in the top 3 presidents of our country! Thank you MR. President!
I received this on Goodreads as a First read, thanks a million!
I received this on Goodreads as a First read, thanks a million!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews