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Three Days in Moscow: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Empire
President Reagan's dramatic battle to win the Cold War is revealed as never before by the #1 bestselling author and award-winning anchor of the #1 rated Special Report with Bret Baier.
"An instant classic, if not the finest book to date on Ronald Reagan.” — Jay Winik
Moscow, 1988: 1,000 miles behind the Iron Curtain, Ronald Reagan stood for freedom and confronted the Soviet empire.
In his acclaimed bestseller Three Days in January, Bret Baier illuminated the extraordinary leadership of President Dwight Eisenhower at the dawn of the Cold War. Now in his highly anticipated new history, Three Days in Moscow, Baier explores the dramatic endgame of America’s long struggle with the Soviet Union and President Ronald Reagan’s central role in shaping the world we live in today.
On May 31, 1988, Reagan stood on Russian soil and addressed a packed audience at Moscow State University, delivering a remarkable—yet now largely forgotten—speech that capped his first visit to the Soviet capital. This fourth in a series of summits between Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, was a dramatic coda to their tireless efforts to reduce the nuclear threat. More than that, Reagan viewed it as “a grand historical moment”: an opportunity to light a path for the Soviet people—toward freedom, human rights, and a future he told them they could embrace if they chose. It was the first time an American president had given an address about human rights on Russian soil. Reagan had once called the Soviet Union an “evil empire.” Now, saying that depiction was from “another time,” he beckoned the Soviets to join him in a new vision of the future. The importance of Reagan’s Moscow speech was largely overlooked at the time, but the new world he spoke of was fast approaching; the following year, in November 1989, the Berlin Wall fell and the Soviet Union began to disintegrate, leaving the United States the sole superpower on the world stage.
Today, the end of the Cold War is perhaps the defining historical moment of the past half century, and must be understood if we are to make sense of America’s current place in the world, amid the re-emergence of US-Russian tensions during Vladimir Putin’s tenure. Using Reagan’s three days in Moscow to tell the larger story of the president’s critical and often misunderstood role in orchestrating a successful, peaceful ending to the Cold War, Baier illuminates the character of one of our nation’s most venerated leaders—and reveals the unique qualities that allowed him to succeed in forming an alliance for peace with the Soviet Union, when his predecessors had fallen short.
"An instant classic, if not the finest book to date on Ronald Reagan.” — Jay Winik
Moscow, 1988: 1,000 miles behind the Iron Curtain, Ronald Reagan stood for freedom and confronted the Soviet empire.
In his acclaimed bestseller Three Days in January, Bret Baier illuminated the extraordinary leadership of President Dwight Eisenhower at the dawn of the Cold War. Now in his highly anticipated new history, Three Days in Moscow, Baier explores the dramatic endgame of America’s long struggle with the Soviet Union and President Ronald Reagan’s central role in shaping the world we live in today.
On May 31, 1988, Reagan stood on Russian soil and addressed a packed audience at Moscow State University, delivering a remarkable—yet now largely forgotten—speech that capped his first visit to the Soviet capital. This fourth in a series of summits between Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, was a dramatic coda to their tireless efforts to reduce the nuclear threat. More than that, Reagan viewed it as “a grand historical moment”: an opportunity to light a path for the Soviet people—toward freedom, human rights, and a future he told them they could embrace if they chose. It was the first time an American president had given an address about human rights on Russian soil. Reagan had once called the Soviet Union an “evil empire.” Now, saying that depiction was from “another time,” he beckoned the Soviets to join him in a new vision of the future. The importance of Reagan’s Moscow speech was largely overlooked at the time, but the new world he spoke of was fast approaching; the following year, in November 1989, the Berlin Wall fell and the Soviet Union began to disintegrate, leaving the United States the sole superpower on the world stage.
Today, the end of the Cold War is perhaps the defining historical moment of the past half century, and must be understood if we are to make sense of America’s current place in the world, amid the re-emergence of US-Russian tensions during Vladimir Putin’s tenure. Using Reagan’s three days in Moscow to tell the larger story of the president’s critical and often misunderstood role in orchestrating a successful, peaceful ending to the Cold War, Baier illuminates the character of one of our nation’s most venerated leaders—and reveals the unique qualities that allowed him to succeed in forming an alliance for peace with the Soviet Union, when his predecessors had fallen short.
416 pages, ebook
First published May 15, 2018
800 people are currently reading
2551 people want to read
About the author
Bret Baier
13 books199 followersWilliam Bret Baier is an American journalist and the host of Special Report with Bret Baier on the Fox News Channel and the chief political anchor for Fox. He previously worked as the network's Chief White House Correspondent and Pentagon correspondent.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 291 reviews
July 6, 2018
Well, for starters, it was really fun to learn that author and FOX News Channel anchor Bret Baier was once an altar boy in his Catholic church, and also co-president of his student council during his senior year at the Marist School right here in Atlanta, my hometown. With that serendipity noted, let me also add how much I enjoyed experiencing this book on Audible, since it featured Bret reading his own work. His pleasant, mellow voice was a perfect fit for a book about Ronald Reagan, another gifted speaker and communicator.
The “three days in Moscow”, referenced in the title, occurred during President Reagan’s fourth and final summit with Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, which was held in Moscow in the spring of 1988. The reader is immediately swept into the anticipation and whirlwind pace of this summit in the opening chapters, and then treated in the main body of the book to a well-written biography of Reagan, from his childhood to the White House. There is ample detail here, including Reagan’s experiences as president of the Screen Actor’s Guild, and the pace of the story is just right to keep one’s attention and interest without bogging down.
The powerful narrative, certainly, of Reagan’s presidency – really, of his life – was the pivotal role he played in the eventual fall of the Berlin wall, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the end of the Cold War. His was a strong and unwavering voice for human rights, freedom, and peace through strength. And he could definitely turn a memorable phrase. One of countless examples: "Nations do not distrust each other because they are armed. They arm themselves because they distrust each other."
Reagan’s sense of humor and love for people was contagious, and he was also a man of strong convictions who held firm even in the midst of constant opposition. It’s ironic that, as is the case with Donald Trump (a brash, loud, New York businessman and reality TV star, a man far different than Reagan), many voters in the 80’s thought Reagan, an aged actor, was a warmonger who was also unfit to be President.
Five stars to Bret Baier and co-author Catherine Whitney for an informative, enjoyable, and inspiring account of the Reagan years, and the history that was made. Highly recommended!
The “three days in Moscow”, referenced in the title, occurred during President Reagan’s fourth and final summit with Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, which was held in Moscow in the spring of 1988. The reader is immediately swept into the anticipation and whirlwind pace of this summit in the opening chapters, and then treated in the main body of the book to a well-written biography of Reagan, from his childhood to the White House. There is ample detail here, including Reagan’s experiences as president of the Screen Actor’s Guild, and the pace of the story is just right to keep one’s attention and interest without bogging down.
The powerful narrative, certainly, of Reagan’s presidency – really, of his life – was the pivotal role he played in the eventual fall of the Berlin wall, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the end of the Cold War. His was a strong and unwavering voice for human rights, freedom, and peace through strength. And he could definitely turn a memorable phrase. One of countless examples: "Nations do not distrust each other because they are armed. They arm themselves because they distrust each other."
Reagan’s sense of humor and love for people was contagious, and he was also a man of strong convictions who held firm even in the midst of constant opposition. It’s ironic that, as is the case with Donald Trump (a brash, loud, New York businessman and reality TV star, a man far different than Reagan), many voters in the 80’s thought Reagan, an aged actor, was a warmonger who was also unfit to be President.
Five stars to Bret Baier and co-author Catherine Whitney for an informative, enjoyable, and inspiring account of the Reagan years, and the history that was made. Highly recommended!
July 8, 2018
My review of this book would've been 5 stars had the author ended it a chapter early. The story of Reagan and Gorbachev is well told. Growing up in the 80's and watching the end of the cold war, it felt like I was watching the speeches and news coverage anew. Then, in true Fox News style, the author tries to paint Trump as Reaganesque. Even though I never met President Reagan, I knew him. He was a friend of mine. Mr. Baier, Trump is no President Reagan. The comparison should embarrass you and it soils the preceding prose. You damaged a fond memory of a great President much more than you elevated the current one and you should be ashamed of yourself. President Reagan deserved better than that and so did the readers of your book.
May 28, 2018
Excellent and easy to read biography coverage of Ronald Reagan. It covers very specific periods of time when the long, long waged Cold War was at its peaks, and then when it was in "glasnost". Accomplished within methods that had not been approached in quite the same way before by any American President. Before or since. And the one that was successful to the prime point it wanted to achieve.
For a person like myself who lived, worked, parented etc. during these years, and paid close attention to every step (frustrated Soc. Sciences and History major who never got to continue college at that point)- this book was prime to what I knew already. It didn't introduce many aspects I didn't already know. But it does/did bring out some essentials I had thought about but never really understood concerning Reagan. Or even expressed. Primarily within the nature of his self-identity, character, and motivations. He truly did not reveal much of himself- not the core of Ronald. I always noticed the distance he kept from that knowledge of "himself" to the vast populous but also to those closest to him, like his children. Everybody but Nancy. He saw himself as a tool. And having the ego that all presidents have, it was not expressed in a similar way to most presidents. Not at all. People compare him now to Trump for several lines of worldview. But they can't be more different, IMHO. Reagan was an ultimate actor beyond thinking of himself as the mouthpiece and not the originator of the practicalities that "work". It's quite different. Ego expression and word skill also not at all on the same page.
Ronald Reagan always held some essence of his true nature and personality back from view. He did. And often hid it by disarming humor and charm. Even making jokes when shot and afterwards in the hospital. He recovered very quickly for a man of his age, btw. There are pictures of him cleaning out brush on the ranch just months later. He was a physical person- not a sitter.
But this would be an excellent book to read if you have not heard his speeches. His 2 or 3 most superlative and also best and most well timed speeches. They are legend. And to learn about the place that existed "before" Ronnie and the "after" that he left. They are reprinted whole piece and with the logistics and particulars of the timings and placements (and who was present too). The time that he and Nancy were pulled up on the cart in Moscow's square in that mob is particularly prime. Look at that photo. They sure were brave. Both of them. He noted out loud "This is what a free assembly looks like." Always some self-deprecating "joke" to lighten the situation too.
After many Americans saw with their own eyes the horrific and much worse outcomes that did arise from the social help and top /down manipulations of the Great Society and the "us" and "them" thinking of the Southeast Asian wars. And also had the USSR posited as the great and constant enemy for our very lives and existence throughout our entire childhoods and young adult lives. Well it truly, truly was "turning a page" into an era of confronting the realities instead of the empathetic words which enabled and enabled and made things so much worse on one side, and the hatred opposition words of getting back at the Russian "ogres" on the other. Too bad he couldn't have addressed the reversal to the formations of the massive welfare ghettos domestically, as he did the foreign landscape. But he tried. Not half enough.
This book doesn't address it front face but only in a few illusions and examples. But for those of you were not alive then and have no idea from the way that history is taught and interpreted presently or in the last decade; know this bit about the American "eyes"/ media relationship that I've heard discussed in classes since that period, but not at all recently. And that is that the Media "switched" its onus under Reagan's years. Not only in the what they reported, but also in how they reported it. And not only by inserting their own interpretations into it now and again. But in constant and consistent value judging or ploy for speculative asides. Most of which have little or nothing to do with the who, what, where, when. (Presently all news is 90% interpretation and opinion of interpretation in the USA.) Formerly they, the media in almost all forms, were exclusive too in their reporting to nearly every positive action/ occurrence / daily report of task for every single president. They never reported the negative or the derogatory speculation but almost or entirely filtered any avenues that might possibly include that feature in any tangent- out. In fact often shielding presidents when their disabilities or flaws or straight out rudeness or language was bottom rung level, or when sickness or tragedy intervened. But under Reagan it changed. He was consistently made to look or described as a aging old clown. From the very first year of his 1st term. And every nap or delayed deferment (often when the task was meant to be one that is better timed or set into a path for more improved cabinet members to handle) was criticized. And his huge successes also pooh-poohed or ignored in depth of print copy and night hour TV news. It was the beginning of what the "news" has become now in the USA. It's not journalism as taught or as practiced, IMHO.
If any one has interest in knowing the earlier tenets of Conservatism as a whole piece entity political and monetary agenda/ policy, which became a "known" during these years- then this is also a good book to read. Because it is not the definition of Conservatism today- not even by half. Conservatism differed in social views too. But in economics it was far closer to Libertarian (closer to a Rand Paul for instance) than it is today. And liberal was continent wide varied from the stances and the economics of the Left in the USA today (post 2010). Conservatism has moved over at least 3 pegs. But Left "eyes" have moved completely off the game board. So the very definitions are altered. Vastly. Most erudite who write within these categories have been swept in those changes and have redefined and redefined. Apples and oranges to compare any issues of 50 years ago to now by these "labels".
I can still see Nancy's face when Raisa never shut up for hour after hour through translators about her perfect Communist system as the wives walked the Moscow tours. And the answers she (Raisa) eventually gave to the questions about her peoples' needs and also their religions. The photos in the book are 6 star. Especially that one of Ronnie Reagan making the prime speech under the monstrous Lenin.
A debilitating regime and horrific, murderous totalitarian offender to millions within their personal and life liberties obliterated (if not outright killed in exiles or pograms) was concluded (and all those countries and languages/ ethnic traditions restored to self-choices) without an A bomb or some other million count human demise tragedy. Reagan can never be given enough credit.
For a person like myself who lived, worked, parented etc. during these years, and paid close attention to every step (frustrated Soc. Sciences and History major who never got to continue college at that point)- this book was prime to what I knew already. It didn't introduce many aspects I didn't already know. But it does/did bring out some essentials I had thought about but never really understood concerning Reagan. Or even expressed. Primarily within the nature of his self-identity, character, and motivations. He truly did not reveal much of himself- not the core of Ronald. I always noticed the distance he kept from that knowledge of "himself" to the vast populous but also to those closest to him, like his children. Everybody but Nancy. He saw himself as a tool. And having the ego that all presidents have, it was not expressed in a similar way to most presidents. Not at all. People compare him now to Trump for several lines of worldview. But they can't be more different, IMHO. Reagan was an ultimate actor beyond thinking of himself as the mouthpiece and not the originator of the practicalities that "work". It's quite different. Ego expression and word skill also not at all on the same page.
Ronald Reagan always held some essence of his true nature and personality back from view. He did. And often hid it by disarming humor and charm. Even making jokes when shot and afterwards in the hospital. He recovered very quickly for a man of his age, btw. There are pictures of him cleaning out brush on the ranch just months later. He was a physical person- not a sitter.
But this would be an excellent book to read if you have not heard his speeches. His 2 or 3 most superlative and also best and most well timed speeches. They are legend. And to learn about the place that existed "before" Ronnie and the "after" that he left. They are reprinted whole piece and with the logistics and particulars of the timings and placements (and who was present too). The time that he and Nancy were pulled up on the cart in Moscow's square in that mob is particularly prime. Look at that photo. They sure were brave. Both of them. He noted out loud "This is what a free assembly looks like." Always some self-deprecating "joke" to lighten the situation too.
After many Americans saw with their own eyes the horrific and much worse outcomes that did arise from the social help and top /down manipulations of the Great Society and the "us" and "them" thinking of the Southeast Asian wars. And also had the USSR posited as the great and constant enemy for our very lives and existence throughout our entire childhoods and young adult lives. Well it truly, truly was "turning a page" into an era of confronting the realities instead of the empathetic words which enabled and enabled and made things so much worse on one side, and the hatred opposition words of getting back at the Russian "ogres" on the other. Too bad he couldn't have addressed the reversal to the formations of the massive welfare ghettos domestically, as he did the foreign landscape. But he tried. Not half enough.
This book doesn't address it front face but only in a few illusions and examples. But for those of you were not alive then and have no idea from the way that history is taught and interpreted presently or in the last decade; know this bit about the American "eyes"/ media relationship that I've heard discussed in classes since that period, but not at all recently. And that is that the Media "switched" its onus under Reagan's years. Not only in the what they reported, but also in how they reported it. And not only by inserting their own interpretations into it now and again. But in constant and consistent value judging or ploy for speculative asides. Most of which have little or nothing to do with the who, what, where, when. (Presently all news is 90% interpretation and opinion of interpretation in the USA.) Formerly they, the media in almost all forms, were exclusive too in their reporting to nearly every positive action/ occurrence / daily report of task for every single president. They never reported the negative or the derogatory speculation but almost or entirely filtered any avenues that might possibly include that feature in any tangent- out. In fact often shielding presidents when their disabilities or flaws or straight out rudeness or language was bottom rung level, or when sickness or tragedy intervened. But under Reagan it changed. He was consistently made to look or described as a aging old clown. From the very first year of his 1st term. And every nap or delayed deferment (often when the task was meant to be one that is better timed or set into a path for more improved cabinet members to handle) was criticized. And his huge successes also pooh-poohed or ignored in depth of print copy and night hour TV news. It was the beginning of what the "news" has become now in the USA. It's not journalism as taught or as practiced, IMHO.
If any one has interest in knowing the earlier tenets of Conservatism as a whole piece entity political and monetary agenda/ policy, which became a "known" during these years- then this is also a good book to read. Because it is not the definition of Conservatism today- not even by half. Conservatism differed in social views too. But in economics it was far closer to Libertarian (closer to a Rand Paul for instance) than it is today. And liberal was continent wide varied from the stances and the economics of the Left in the USA today (post 2010). Conservatism has moved over at least 3 pegs. But Left "eyes" have moved completely off the game board. So the very definitions are altered. Vastly. Most erudite who write within these categories have been swept in those changes and have redefined and redefined. Apples and oranges to compare any issues of 50 years ago to now by these "labels".
I can still see Nancy's face when Raisa never shut up for hour after hour through translators about her perfect Communist system as the wives walked the Moscow tours. And the answers she (Raisa) eventually gave to the questions about her peoples' needs and also their religions. The photos in the book are 6 star. Especially that one of Ronnie Reagan making the prime speech under the monstrous Lenin.
A debilitating regime and horrific, murderous totalitarian offender to millions within their personal and life liberties obliterated (if not outright killed in exiles or pograms) was concluded (and all those countries and languages/ ethnic traditions restored to self-choices) without an A bomb or some other million count human demise tragedy. Reagan can never be given enough credit.
November 22, 2018
"You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We'll preserve for our children this, last best hope of man on earth, or we'll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness."
--- from Ronald Reagan's inauguration speech
While it's clear this book was written from a standpoint of admiration, Brett Baier makes an excellent case for why Ronald Reagan was the right president for the time, how he really did have much to do with the ending of the Cold War, and how Reagan was probably the least "political" of any president my generation has seen either before or since he held the office - he truly believed in the good of his own actions and loved this country and its people for the goodness in their hearts.
The book spends a few chapters discussing how Reagan got into the office, but then dives straight into his interactions with the politburo of the USSR. Brett describes how, in contrast to his predecessor (Jimmy Carter), Reagan came into office from day one painting the Soviets as an "Evil Empire" set on world domination. He then ramped up U.S. spending on its nuclear arsenal, which at that time was presumably only half the size of the Soviets (although, in truth it only takes so many nukes to destroy the world). The USSR and its less vibrant economic (communist) structure could not continue to spend large portions of its GDP to keep pace with Reagan, and eventually the hardliners such as Brezhnev, Andropov and Chernenko died off or gave way to reformists such as Gorbachev and Yeltsin. That's when Reagan, now in a position of equals, could sit down across the table and negotiate a gradual reduction in our respective arsenals.
"..weapons are a sign of tensions, not the cause of them... Nations do not distrust each other because they are armed; they are armed because they distrust each other"
---President Reagan
Gorbachev and Reagan first met at Reykjavik, Iceland in 1986. It was not an auspicious start, as Gorby drew a line in the sand and said no negotiations could take place unless the U.S. agreed to halt research into the Strategic Defense Initiative (or, as others disparagingly referred to as "Star Wars"). Whether SDI was realistic or just a pipe dream, it didn't really matter - it frightened the Russians to death. Shortly after the failed summit, the news back home turned its attention to the Iran-Contra scandal, and the notion of perestroika was viewed as dead. The midterm elections went poorly for Republicans and Reagan's last two years were thought to be headed toward a "lame duck" period. However, Reagan had other ideas.
In 1987 Reagan visited Berlin and standing across from the famous Brandenburg gate, half obscured by the graffiti-ridden wall separating east and west Germany, he gave his famous "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" speech. Now on their heels due to pressure from the reformist populace, the Soviets reinitiated talks. The two countries ultimately signed both INF and START treaties (technically, the later was under Bush) and the dismantling of the USSR statehood had begun. As Margaret Thatcher later said, Reagan ended the Cold War without firing a shot.
Fan of his policies or not, Reagan had the respect of both sides of the aisle. When he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease and gave an impassioned public statement where "I now begin the journey that will lead me to the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead" there were few dry eyes in the house.
Reagan was a humble man about his achievements. Dismissing the label as the Great Communicator, he said "I never thought it was my style or the words I used that made a difference: it was the content. I wasn't the great communicator, but I communicated great ideas."
Placing one's political views to the side, I recommend this book as a discussion of a man who is both to be admired and who played a major role in the shaping of history.
--- from Ronald Reagan's inauguration speech
While it's clear this book was written from a standpoint of admiration, Brett Baier makes an excellent case for why Ronald Reagan was the right president for the time, how he really did have much to do with the ending of the Cold War, and how Reagan was probably the least "political" of any president my generation has seen either before or since he held the office - he truly believed in the good of his own actions and loved this country and its people for the goodness in their hearts.
The book spends a few chapters discussing how Reagan got into the office, but then dives straight into his interactions with the politburo of the USSR. Brett describes how, in contrast to his predecessor (Jimmy Carter), Reagan came into office from day one painting the Soviets as an "Evil Empire" set on world domination. He then ramped up U.S. spending on its nuclear arsenal, which at that time was presumably only half the size of the Soviets (although, in truth it only takes so many nukes to destroy the world). The USSR and its less vibrant economic (communist) structure could not continue to spend large portions of its GDP to keep pace with Reagan, and eventually the hardliners such as Brezhnev, Andropov and Chernenko died off or gave way to reformists such as Gorbachev and Yeltsin. That's when Reagan, now in a position of equals, could sit down across the table and negotiate a gradual reduction in our respective arsenals.
"..weapons are a sign of tensions, not the cause of them... Nations do not distrust each other because they are armed; they are armed because they distrust each other"
---President Reagan
Gorbachev and Reagan first met at Reykjavik, Iceland in 1986. It was not an auspicious start, as Gorby drew a line in the sand and said no negotiations could take place unless the U.S. agreed to halt research into the Strategic Defense Initiative (or, as others disparagingly referred to as "Star Wars"). Whether SDI was realistic or just a pipe dream, it didn't really matter - it frightened the Russians to death. Shortly after the failed summit, the news back home turned its attention to the Iran-Contra scandal, and the notion of perestroika was viewed as dead. The midterm elections went poorly for Republicans and Reagan's last two years were thought to be headed toward a "lame duck" period. However, Reagan had other ideas.
In 1987 Reagan visited Berlin and standing across from the famous Brandenburg gate, half obscured by the graffiti-ridden wall separating east and west Germany, he gave his famous "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" speech. Now on their heels due to pressure from the reformist populace, the Soviets reinitiated talks. The two countries ultimately signed both INF and START treaties (technically, the later was under Bush) and the dismantling of the USSR statehood had begun. As Margaret Thatcher later said, Reagan ended the Cold War without firing a shot.
Fan of his policies or not, Reagan had the respect of both sides of the aisle. When he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease and gave an impassioned public statement where "I now begin the journey that will lead me to the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead" there were few dry eyes in the house.
Reagan was a humble man about his achievements. Dismissing the label as the Great Communicator, he said "I never thought it was my style or the words I used that made a difference: it was the content. I wasn't the great communicator, but I communicated great ideas."
Placing one's political views to the side, I recommend this book as a discussion of a man who is both to be admired and who played a major role in the shaping of history.
January 14, 2023
Until Reagan was elected President the books was your typical news reporter trying to write a book. The author, Bret Baier covered who,what,when,where and why in the first paragraph and bland after that.
Once Reagan was elected President, the author Baier found his rhythm and he delved into the political backstabbing of his cabinet and the fierce negotiations with Russia were fascinating.
Once Reagan was elected President, the author Baier found his rhythm and he delved into the political backstabbing of his cabinet and the fierce negotiations with Russia were fascinating.
September 17, 2018
Reagan showed that through strength, respect, and genuine friendship we can achieve peaceful relations with other world powers. True diplomacy combined with eternal optimism can accomplish great things. This was a great book that will remind Americans of our better natures and that our best days need not be behind us. Everyone should read this.
June 9, 2018
SUBJECTIVE READER REVIEW WITH PLOT SPOILERS FOLLOWS:
I'm primarily a fiction reader and exclusively a fiction writer, but 'Three Days In Moscow' intrigued me because it proved to be a telescope into Reagan's incredibly effective dealings with the Soviet Union. My entire 'Goldeneye Series,' including 14 novels, takes place during Reagan's first term and there is much synergy between Will Kavanagh and The Gipper. And guess what, I got it exactly right so far as Reagan's pivotal focus, his management style and the things he felt most important. To sum it up, Ronald Wilson Reagan believed in the exercise of free will, and anything unnatural that precluded that was public enemy number one. The Cold War wasn't an arms race to Reagan, but instead was a gigantic struggle over the ability of humans to exercise free will. Communism probably suppressed this ability more than any other 'system,' so facilitating its end was mission one. He knew that when the Russian people began thinking in terms of exercising free will, the Soviet Union would be no more. And he was exactly right.
Baier took the time to make 'Three Days In Moscow' a biography of Ronald Reagan, correctly presuming that the man could only be understood if one knew of his hardscrabble upbringing. Incredibly his ego absorbed attacks without resorting to spiteful, revenge-focused responses, so he was the polar opposite of Richard Nixon. Perhaps this alone among national political types set him apart--and he took full advantage of Jimmy Carter's shortcomings to defeat him in 1980. Widely ascribed to be the victor in the Cold War, Reagan felt the spectre of mutually assured destruction defied logic, and the arrival of a Soviet politician not tainted by the rule of Joseph Stalin was his conduit to imposing sanity. That and the Strategic Defense Initiative, aka Star Wars, which was his shared vision of a doomsday defensive weapon that drove the Soviets to distraction.
The end of the Cold War could only be achieved if a Soviet political leader 'arrived' on the scene--aka the Soviet Politburo--who had the ability to bend away from the mental intractability seemingly programmed into Soviet leaders. Mikhail Gorbachev was the man who bent away, not for political gain but recognizing a different approach was the Soviet's only hope for improvement of their society. He met Reagan in Geneva in 1985 and over the next 18 months essentially became charmed by the simple decency of the American President. They also became friends, and Gorbachev tried to exploit this for political gain--essentially insuring shared strategic arms reductions if the US would forsake the Strategic Defense Initiative. But Reagan refused to bargain on SDI, somehow knowing the Soviet counter-effort it's mere spectre produced would weaken their bargaining position. By 1987, Gorbachev was being squeezed in the vice of the Politburo hardliners and the rest of Russia demanding he hasten perestroika. In 1988 he finally gave in to shared strategic arms reductions with the SDI ghost firmly in place. Many equate this final resignation to signal the end of the Cold War, but Gorbachev didn't envision that the Cold War was the only thing buttressing the Soviet Union's reason for being.
Boris Yeltsin's ambitions ultimately forced him to recognize that without the all-consuming fear of suppression the Soviet system imposed, the Soviet Union's foundation crumbled. In perhaps one of his most famous declarations, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear this wall down," few could know that less than two years later Gorbachev refused to act when Berliners did exactly that. By this time Reagan was in retirement in California, but at his funeral in 2004 his two closest friends were present to properly eulogize the 'Great Communicator,' Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev.
Baier makes an unspoken argument that once they met, Reagan and Gorbachev's souls were joined and the irresistible gravity that Reagan resonated led the path to the end. I think that's fair, and Reagan felt it completely worthwhile, as it achieved his highest goal--for humans to become closer to achieving free will. Bret Baier's only a fair writer--he's a newsman--so 'Three Days In Moscow' was not the compelling page turner to me, although many others disagreed. He did however succeed in elevating Ronald Reagan to one of the greatest chief executives this country has ever known. So Bret achieved that goal, and provided keen insights into what made the man as well. So buy this book and read it, and perhaps gain an appreciation of Ronald Reagan's talents for the first time.
I'm primarily a fiction reader and exclusively a fiction writer, but 'Three Days In Moscow' intrigued me because it proved to be a telescope into Reagan's incredibly effective dealings with the Soviet Union. My entire 'Goldeneye Series,' including 14 novels, takes place during Reagan's first term and there is much synergy between Will Kavanagh and The Gipper. And guess what, I got it exactly right so far as Reagan's pivotal focus, his management style and the things he felt most important. To sum it up, Ronald Wilson Reagan believed in the exercise of free will, and anything unnatural that precluded that was public enemy number one. The Cold War wasn't an arms race to Reagan, but instead was a gigantic struggle over the ability of humans to exercise free will. Communism probably suppressed this ability more than any other 'system,' so facilitating its end was mission one. He knew that when the Russian people began thinking in terms of exercising free will, the Soviet Union would be no more. And he was exactly right.
Baier took the time to make 'Three Days In Moscow' a biography of Ronald Reagan, correctly presuming that the man could only be understood if one knew of his hardscrabble upbringing. Incredibly his ego absorbed attacks without resorting to spiteful, revenge-focused responses, so he was the polar opposite of Richard Nixon. Perhaps this alone among national political types set him apart--and he took full advantage of Jimmy Carter's shortcomings to defeat him in 1980. Widely ascribed to be the victor in the Cold War, Reagan felt the spectre of mutually assured destruction defied logic, and the arrival of a Soviet politician not tainted by the rule of Joseph Stalin was his conduit to imposing sanity. That and the Strategic Defense Initiative, aka Star Wars, which was his shared vision of a doomsday defensive weapon that drove the Soviets to distraction.
The end of the Cold War could only be achieved if a Soviet political leader 'arrived' on the scene--aka the Soviet Politburo--who had the ability to bend away from the mental intractability seemingly programmed into Soviet leaders. Mikhail Gorbachev was the man who bent away, not for political gain but recognizing a different approach was the Soviet's only hope for improvement of their society. He met Reagan in Geneva in 1985 and over the next 18 months essentially became charmed by the simple decency of the American President. They also became friends, and Gorbachev tried to exploit this for political gain--essentially insuring shared strategic arms reductions if the US would forsake the Strategic Defense Initiative. But Reagan refused to bargain on SDI, somehow knowing the Soviet counter-effort it's mere spectre produced would weaken their bargaining position. By 1987, Gorbachev was being squeezed in the vice of the Politburo hardliners and the rest of Russia demanding he hasten perestroika. In 1988 he finally gave in to shared strategic arms reductions with the SDI ghost firmly in place. Many equate this final resignation to signal the end of the Cold War, but Gorbachev didn't envision that the Cold War was the only thing buttressing the Soviet Union's reason for being.
Boris Yeltsin's ambitions ultimately forced him to recognize that without the all-consuming fear of suppression the Soviet system imposed, the Soviet Union's foundation crumbled. In perhaps one of his most famous declarations, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear this wall down," few could know that less than two years later Gorbachev refused to act when Berliners did exactly that. By this time Reagan was in retirement in California, but at his funeral in 2004 his two closest friends were present to properly eulogize the 'Great Communicator,' Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev.
Baier makes an unspoken argument that once they met, Reagan and Gorbachev's souls were joined and the irresistible gravity that Reagan resonated led the path to the end. I think that's fair, and Reagan felt it completely worthwhile, as it achieved his highest goal--for humans to become closer to achieving free will. Bret Baier's only a fair writer--he's a newsman--so 'Three Days In Moscow' was not the compelling page turner to me, although many others disagreed. He did however succeed in elevating Ronald Reagan to one of the greatest chief executives this country has ever known. So Bret achieved that goal, and provided keen insights into what made the man as well. So buy this book and read it, and perhaps gain an appreciation of Ronald Reagan's talents for the first time.
July 16, 2019
Another look at Ronald Reagan. This time Baier looks at RWR through the microscope of how he and Gorbachev- through their personal relationship-put a nail in the Soviet Union's coffin. Reagan relegated Communism to the ash heap of history as he had hoped he would. Read by the author, it was another of my "walk the dogs" audiobooks.
February 12, 2020
As someone who will, upon hearing the name of the 40th US president spoken aloud, spit on the ground and ward against the evil eye, I knew this book was not written with me in mind. But like all good liberals who haven’t figured out the door only swings one way, I went in with an open mind, hoping for some historical analysis with at least a semblance of impartiality. Reading these pages, we meet a version of The Gipper replete with masculine charisma and strength who is also soft-spoken and demure (but in a manly sort of way). His every word is well timed and the platonic ideal of poetic brevity and power. He has no flaws unless one considers being too successful in every endeavor a flaw. The Great Communicator is magnanimous and kind as he insults The Russians, cracks the occasional cosmological zinger over the head of his heathen son and treats a wayward negro boy to charity as proof of his racial egalitarianism. There is no speculation or analysis on what Reagan might have done better or worse or anything he might have missed for the mere speculation that his every heartbeat wasn’t perfection personified is never raised. I was hoping for history and would have settled for lopsided journalism. By the time we got around to comparing the godlike Reagan to Trump, I realized all Baier had to offer for us was propaganda.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to listen to all my Dead Kennedys albums on repeat to try to wash this trickle down nonsense off me.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to listen to all my Dead Kennedys albums on repeat to try to wash this trickle down nonsense off me.
August 14, 2018
I was in my mid-twenties in the 80s, living in England so I figured Ronald Reagan was a doddering, simplistic geriatric madman bent on destroying the world. We in England protested the nuclear cruise missiles at RAF Greenham Common and thought Reagan was going to bring about World War III. I've softened however and this book helped me appreciate the Reagan I didn't know. He was smarter than I thought, a great writer, and believed in the power of liberty and capitalism as ways of bringing people out of poverty. In the light of some of our recent presidents, Reagan seems even better than he was. I still don't appreciate him tearing the solar panels off the White House roof and perhaps setting back renewable energy 20 years and I felt nauseous during the Iran\Contra scandals but I do appreciate the deft hand he used on the crumbling Soviet Union and his courage and the courage of his convictions. This is a wonderfully light, easy-to-read book with some great insights regarding that famous "Tear down this wall" speech and the Moscow visit and the background to their relationship with the Gorbachovs is fascinating. I misjudged you, Mr. Reagan. You were a very good president on balance. And I miss your kind of honest American more than ever.
October 21, 2018
Three Days In Moscow makes the case for Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy, arguing that his tough anti-communist stance, which morphed over time into deft diplomacy, played a key role, perhaps THE key role in winning the cold war. I do agree that Reagan was a good President on foreign policy issues, that he helped push the moribund Soviet state into an early grave, and that he managed to reduce arms and prevent direct war in the process, but Baier overstates his case. There were many factors that led to the demise of Soviet communism, but communism itself was by far the most important of these (Reagan himself made it clear that he believed the Soviet system couldn’t survive in the long term).
Also, it was stupid of Baier to spend an entire book making the case for Reagan’s greatness only to throw the argument in the trash at the end by claiming that Trump is some kind of second coming of the Gipper.
I listened to this in audiobook, and the reader was good.
Also, it was stupid of Baier to spend an entire book making the case for Reagan’s greatness only to throw the argument in the trash at the end by claiming that Trump is some kind of second coming of the Gipper.
I listened to this in audiobook, and the reader was good.
August 6, 2018
Excellent book about the presidency of Ronald Reagan, with emphasis on his relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev, and the fall of the Soviet Union. Very well written, with interesting details on how these two men felt about each other, and how they related to each other. The book also discusses Reagan's earlier years, and how he evolved from a liberal Democrat to a conservative Republican. The impact that Reagan (and for that matter Gorbachev) had on world history is profound. I always thought that Reagan was one of our countries greatest presidents (certainly in my lifetime), and this book definitely cemented that view.
June 7, 2018
I couldn’t put this book down! The narrative moves along very smoothly and really brings out the history and politics in a way that captures the personalities feelings and relationships. Impressed with the steadfastness of Reagan which he never wavered from and didn’t allow others to sway him. Learned some about Gorbachov and how unique he was. The book weaves nicely through Bush and the Russian coup. The end of the book was quite riveting.
July 20, 2018
If I said that I had respected this president before, this book has taken that to an entirely new level. The author creates creates an image of hope, optimism, conviction that defined one of the greatest world leaders of all time.
December 6, 2023
A gripping narrative filled with first person interviews, this book helps us understand our 40th president in a whole new light. I found the book to be well balanced, yet imminently readable. If you are looking to deepen your presidential knowledge, or are just looking to brush up on the downfall of the Soviet Union, this book's for you.
May 31, 2018
May 31, 2018, is the thirtieth anniversary of President Reagan’s speech at Moscow State University. On that day, our 40th president stood before a packed house of enthusiastic students who listened to a message of freedom and hope. Lurking behind Reagan was a mural of the Russian revolution and the bust of Vladimir Lenin. When press secretary Marlin Fitzwater was asked about this strange pairing, he replied, “If anybody would ever appreciate Lenin having to spend an hour and a half looking at the backside of Ronald Reagan, it would be the president.”
Three Days in Moscow: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Empire by Bret Baier celebrates the life and legacy of President Ronald Reagan. Baier provides an inside look at the Reagan administration and the events leading up to his monumental speech at the Moscow State University.
President Reagan inspired hope in each of the participants that day:
"Standing here before a mural of your revolution, I want to talk about a very different revolution that is taking place right now, quietly sweeping the globe without bloodshed or conflict. Its effects are peaceful, but they will fundamentally alter our world, shatter old assumptions, and reshape our lives."
"We do not know what the conclusion will be of this journey, but we’re hopeful that the promise of reform will be fulfilled. In this Moscow spring, this May 1988, we may be allowed that hope: that freedom, like the fresh green sapling planted over Tolstoy’s grave, will blossom forth at last in the rich fertile soil of your people and culture. We may be allowed to hope that the marvelous sound of a new openness will keep rising through, ringing through, leading to a new world of reconciliation, friendship, and peace."
Baier comments, “He was a messenger of hope, seducing them with their own longings, which he knew they had. How could they resist the poignant cry of their countryman?”
One cannot help but recall that President Barack Obama uttered similar words, namely, to “fundamentally transform America.” But the vision Obama was after had more to do with big government, higher taxes, escalated regulation, and minimized religious freedom. Reagan demanded the opposite and he understood that the Soviet people yearned for this kind of freedom.
At the end of the speech, the audience gave Reagan a standing ovation. Baier reports, “Reagan later quipped that while they were cheering, he’d glanced behind him and seen Lenin weeping.”
Three Days in Moscow: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Empire is a stirring historical tale of freedom that chronicles the ascent of Ronald Reagan to the highest office in the land. Brett Baier accurately and passionately recounts the details of his presidency and the leadership gifts he shared with the American people and the world.
Three Days in Moscow: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Empire by Bret Baier celebrates the life and legacy of President Ronald Reagan. Baier provides an inside look at the Reagan administration and the events leading up to his monumental speech at the Moscow State University.
President Reagan inspired hope in each of the participants that day:
"Standing here before a mural of your revolution, I want to talk about a very different revolution that is taking place right now, quietly sweeping the globe without bloodshed or conflict. Its effects are peaceful, but they will fundamentally alter our world, shatter old assumptions, and reshape our lives."
"We do not know what the conclusion will be of this journey, but we’re hopeful that the promise of reform will be fulfilled. In this Moscow spring, this May 1988, we may be allowed that hope: that freedom, like the fresh green sapling planted over Tolstoy’s grave, will blossom forth at last in the rich fertile soil of your people and culture. We may be allowed to hope that the marvelous sound of a new openness will keep rising through, ringing through, leading to a new world of reconciliation, friendship, and peace."
Baier comments, “He was a messenger of hope, seducing them with their own longings, which he knew they had. How could they resist the poignant cry of their countryman?”
One cannot help but recall that President Barack Obama uttered similar words, namely, to “fundamentally transform America.” But the vision Obama was after had more to do with big government, higher taxes, escalated regulation, and minimized religious freedom. Reagan demanded the opposite and he understood that the Soviet people yearned for this kind of freedom.
At the end of the speech, the audience gave Reagan a standing ovation. Baier reports, “Reagan later quipped that while they were cheering, he’d glanced behind him and seen Lenin weeping.”
Three Days in Moscow: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Empire is a stirring historical tale of freedom that chronicles the ascent of Ronald Reagan to the highest office in the land. Brett Baier accurately and passionately recounts the details of his presidency and the leadership gifts he shared with the American people and the world.
June 11, 2018
Wow! My library could not have given me a better time to deliver this book to my wish list. As our current President is to meet with Kim jong un tomorrow, I was able to finish Bret Baier's book on Ronald Reagan's meetings with Gorbachev that brought and end to the Cold War. This book is a testament to Baier being a true student of history as he takes you from Reagan's beginnings and shows how he had a deep dislike for Communism in his early years as an actor. Many people never gave Reagan the credit he deserved for ending the Cold War. Many said he was simply and actor delivering his lines but this book will walk you through those years in his Presidency and show how it was Ronald Reagan who was able to get Mr. Gorbachev to tear down that wall. Like Reagan was constantly put down for his acting career and his easy going disposition, President Trump is being deeply maligned for his New York style and his numerous tweets but, also, like Reagan he is not afraid to go toe to toe with an "Evil Empire". It took Reagan several years and several meetings to get a conclusion to the Cold War. Let's hope President Trump is able to get good results and get them sooner. This is a fantastic book that I highly recommend.
Wow! My library could not have given me a better time to deliver this book to my wish list. As our current President is to meet with Kim jong un tomorrow, I was able to finish Bret Baier's book on Ronald Reagan's meetings with Gorbachev that brought and end to the Cold War. This book is a testament to Baier being a true student of history as he takes you from Reagan's beginnings and shows how he had a deep dislike for Communism in his early years as an actor. Many people never gave Reagan the credit he deserved for ending the Cold War. Many said he was simply and actor delivering his lines but this book will walk you through those years in his Presidency and show how it was Ronald Reagan who was able to get Mr. Gorbachev to tear down that wall. Like Reagan was constantly put down for his acting career and his easy going disposition, President Trump is being deeply maligned for his New York style and his numerous tweets but, also, like Reagan he is not afraid to go toe to toe with an "Evil Empire". It took Reagan several years and several meetings to get a conclusion to the Cold War. Let's hope President Trump is able to get good results and get them sooner. This is a fantastic book that I highly recommend.
Wow! My library could not have given me a better time to deliver this book to my wish list. As our current President is to meet with Kim jong un tomorrow, I was able to finish Bret Baier's book on Ronald Reagan's meetings with Gorbachev that brought and end to the Cold War. This book is a testament to Baier being a true student of history as he takes you from Reagan's beginnings and shows how he had a deep dislike for Communism in his early years as an actor. Many people never gave Reagan the credit he deserved for ending the Cold War. Many said he was simply and actor delivering his lines but this book will walk you through those years in his Presidency and show how it was Ronald Reagan who was able to get Mr. Gorbachev to tear down that wall. Like Reagan was constantly put down for his acting career and his easy going disposition, President Trump is being deeply maligned for his New York style and his numerous tweets but, also, like Reagan he is not afraid to go toe to toe with an "Evil Empire". It took Reagan several years and several meetings to get a conclusion to the Cold War. Let's hope President Trump is able to get good results and get them sooner. This is a fantastic book that I highly recommend.
July 4, 2018
"Sometimes the best act is the final act," Ronald Reagan told reporters as he boarded Air Force One headed for the Moscow Summit in May 1988--30 years ago! This was his best act, and one of his best speeches, at the Moscow State University. I've loved this speech ever since he gave it, and we use a piece of it to open our radio show, The Soul of Enterprise. This book is a great history of Ronald Reagan's early life, Hollywood career, union president during the Red Scare, his California Governorship ("Keeping up with Governor Brown's promises is like trying to read Playboy magazine while your wife turns the pages."), which he won by nearly 1 million votes. After he lost the 1976 nomination fight with President Ford, Richard Allen came to his home and Reagan says to him: "I'd like now to tell you my basic theory about the Cold War. Some people say I'm very simplistic, but there's a difference between being simplistic and simple. A lot of very complex things are very simple if you think them through. Keeping in that in mind, my theory of the Cold War is, we win and they lose. What do you think about that?" His speech at Westminster foretold how Marxism-Leninism was destined for the Ash Heap of history. His Evil Empire speech is chronicled, as well as "Tear Down this Wall," in Berlin. The author did interviews with many speechwriters, as well as others who served in the administration. The Summits with Gorbachev are also detailed, including Reagan walking out of one of them due to SDI. He spoke with Josh Gilder (George Gilder's nephew), who wrote the Moscow State University speech, which is just excellent. It discusses the Economy in Mind and the optics are amazing as Reagan is delivering it in front of a big statute of Lenin. This was another great book from Bret Baier the presidency (his first one was on Eisenhower, and was also excellent). Highly recommended.
March 29, 2018
Having grown up in the midst of the Cold War era and graduating from high school at the time these events took place -- I remember being aware of these issues on the barely emerging periphery of my political and current events awareness. This book offers a thoroughly enjoyable look at the events as they unfolded from the perspective of Reagan and his cabinet. There were several things that I learned that I had never known before and I found myself enjoying the saga and the insights the book has to offer.
Baier's writing is well presented and researched, without getting in the way of the history he is presenting. He is thoroughly readable and has been able to capture much of the emotional and mental intensity that surrounded this time period. His presentation of Reagan is much as I remember the man -- a happy, optimistic leader who generated confidence in an era that was filled with anxiety and concern. Baier offers an on point presentation of the events he covers without getting side tracked or confusing. The history is anything but boring and I actually recommended this read to several people, even before I had finished reading it. A great read!
Baier's writing is well presented and researched, without getting in the way of the history he is presenting. He is thoroughly readable and has been able to capture much of the emotional and mental intensity that surrounded this time period. His presentation of Reagan is much as I remember the man -- a happy, optimistic leader who generated confidence in an era that was filled with anxiety and concern. Baier offers an on point presentation of the events he covers without getting side tracked or confusing. The history is anything but boring and I actually recommended this read to several people, even before I had finished reading it. A great read!
June 2, 2018
I don't always give 5 star 🌟reviews but...
In this case 5 stars are well deserved. Bret Baker has provided a well researched riveting account of Ronald Reagan 's lifelong fight for freedom, which, by definition, is a fight against communism. He backs up go research with interviews with many who were there and participated in this battle won without during a shot.
I was alive to witness this time in history but never really knew what happened until reading this book. It makes me proud to know I cast my first and second presidential votes for this man who revived the American spirit and patriotism at a time when it was sorely needed and by sticking to his principles played the role of a lifetime in ending the cold war.
I liked this one a lot and believe you will too.
In this case 5 stars are well deserved. Bret Baker has provided a well researched riveting account of Ronald Reagan 's lifelong fight for freedom, which, by definition, is a fight against communism. He backs up go research with interviews with many who were there and participated in this battle won without during a shot.
I was alive to witness this time in history but never really knew what happened until reading this book. It makes me proud to know I cast my first and second presidential votes for this man who revived the American spirit and patriotism at a time when it was sorely needed and by sticking to his principles played the role of a lifetime in ending the cold war.
I liked this one a lot and believe you will too.
August 17, 2018
This was one of the best books I've seen on President Reagan. I enjoyed the book and how the President approached his relationship with the Soviet Union and Mikhail Gorbachev. I am sure part of my connection was that I spent eight out of nine years of my time in the Air Force when Mr. Reagan was president. As a broadcaster, I had the privilege to cover President Reagan's speech when he arrived at Andersen Air Force Base. Mr. Baier's book brought back some great memories of those years. The book was well written to include various points in Reagan's life. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about our 40th president.
September 11, 2021
Very interesting read. I removed a star just because a very limited portion of the book (4 chapters) was actually about the 3 days in Moscow. If you have already read about Reagan, you’ll have to cover a good bit of familiar ground as the author does a whole life review of Reagan. I was fascinated by the relationship aspect between Reagan and Gorbachev. I also really liked watching Reagan’s leadership as he shifted from denouncing to relationship with the Soviets.
November 1, 2022
A nearly 13 hour audiobook.
I was hoping this book was throughly focused on those specific days the title alludes to. But the first few hours (about 3-4) were a biography that led up to Reagan becoming president. Then hours covering his presidency up to the meetings, which was more relevant to set the stage, so that I was okay with. I enjoyed the parts that were pertinent to the topic and it was adequately covered from both the American and Soviet viewpoint. Overall I liked it.
I was hoping this book was throughly focused on those specific days the title alludes to. But the first few hours (about 3-4) were a biography that led up to Reagan becoming president. Then hours covering his presidency up to the meetings, which was more relevant to set the stage, so that I was okay with. I enjoyed the parts that were pertinent to the topic and it was adequately covered from both the American and Soviet viewpoint. Overall I liked it.
May 20, 2018
Without Firing a Shot...
Bret Baier has done Americans who were not around or do not recall the Reagan years a tremendous service. Ronald Reagan had a lifetime dream to free the world of communism. I am fortunate to have lived through and witnessed his dream and the dream of so many come true.
Yes, he won the Cold War, without firing a shot.....
Bret Baier has done Americans who were not around or do not recall the Reagan years a tremendous service. Ronald Reagan had a lifetime dream to free the world of communism. I am fortunate to have lived through and witnessed his dream and the dream of so many come true.
Yes, he won the Cold War, without firing a shot.....
June 27, 2018
Great Book!! Loved every word. If you are not a Regan lover before you read it, you will be at the end. I found the events of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War so interesting. As we look back, these events during Regan's administration will be great in history.
July 15, 2018
One of the rare books that kept me captivated until the last page. A breathtaking account of a man who loved his country and served the world by unapologetically promoting the principle of freedom while refusing to accept anything less.
December 4, 2024
Bret Baier and Catherine Whitney have written many books, but this is the first of their works that this reviewer has read. Although they did a good job of researching and including interesting tidbits about the Reagans and the Gorbachevs in this book, it lacks the depth of other works about President Reagan. Also, there are a couple of major factual errors and a frustrating epilogue that strains to tie President Reagan to the political scene of today. A decent read, but certainly not the best or even a top ten book about the nation’s 40th President. 3.25/5
June 28, 2019
Don't let the title fool you. This book is about far more than that. It covers Reagan's adversarial relationship with the former Soviet Union and communism. There's quite a bit of background biography to explain how Reagan came to be the hardliner he was. It highlights the big four speeches he gave and the summits with Gorbachev.
Baier parked himself in the Reagan library (with Catherine Whitney's help) and interviewed many people who worked with Reagan through his political career. There's a ton of footnotes to back up things that were said and done. While it glosses over the uglier parts of Reagan's foreign policy and his anti-communist crusade (an observation, not a criticism), the book is really good when it focuses on the relationship between Reagan and Gorbachev. I was pleasantly surprised to find Gorbachev treated so well in the text.
As for Baier, it was clear that he was wearing his fanboy pants when he wrote this. That's evident from the introduction when he recalls "being struck by awe" during a visit to the White House for a special event when he was a senior in high school. The press were on the outskirts of the event and Baier remembers being pissed off (my words, his emotion) at Sam Donaldson for rudely interrupting the event. I think if the young Mr. Baier could've bopped him on the nose for it, he would've, not that I could blame him. Sam Donaldson was annoying. But Baier seemed a little obsessed, referencingd him three more times, IIRC, each time negatively.
Another negative of the book was the last chapter. I think the effect was intended to bring the US-Russian relationship to the present day. After panning Bush-43 and Obama for their failure to properly address Putin's trouble-making, he went on to compare Trump to Reagan. The text is contorted with attempts to make Trump seem like Reagan while acknowledging some of the glaring differences. For someone who was so enamored of Reagan, I don't see how he could even think about equating the two in a positive context.
I was a teenager while Reagan was President. I had issues with authority back then (Ok, I still do), and Reagan's fiery rhetoric coupled with the cult-like fandom he inspired gave me nightmares. I didn't expect to live to see thirty. I was shocked when the Berlin Wall came down. Surprise! Reagan's strategy worked! Alas, the democratic principles he sought for the Soviet Union didn't survive Putin's thugocracy.
As I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate Reagan. While I still don't see eye-to-eye with plenty of his policies, I miss his congenial disposition, something sorely lacking in today's politics. I wasn't planning on reading this book, but a friend of mine insisted I read it, and I'm glad that I did. Well, most of it anyway.
Baier parked himself in the Reagan library (with Catherine Whitney's help) and interviewed many people who worked with Reagan through his political career. There's a ton of footnotes to back up things that were said and done. While it glosses over the uglier parts of Reagan's foreign policy and his anti-communist crusade (an observation, not a criticism), the book is really good when it focuses on the relationship between Reagan and Gorbachev. I was pleasantly surprised to find Gorbachev treated so well in the text.
As for Baier, it was clear that he was wearing his fanboy pants when he wrote this. That's evident from the introduction when he recalls "being struck by awe" during a visit to the White House for a special event when he was a senior in high school. The press were on the outskirts of the event and Baier remembers being pissed off (my words, his emotion) at Sam Donaldson for rudely interrupting the event. I think if the young Mr. Baier could've bopped him on the nose for it, he would've, not that I could blame him. Sam Donaldson was annoying. But Baier seemed a little obsessed, referencingd him three more times, IIRC, each time negatively.
Another negative of the book was the last chapter. I think the effect was intended to bring the US-Russian relationship to the present day. After panning Bush-43 and Obama for their failure to properly address Putin's trouble-making, he went on to compare Trump to Reagan. The text is contorted with attempts to make Trump seem like Reagan while acknowledging some of the glaring differences. For someone who was so enamored of Reagan, I don't see how he could even think about equating the two in a positive context.
I was a teenager while Reagan was President. I had issues with authority back then (Ok, I still do), and Reagan's fiery rhetoric coupled with the cult-like fandom he inspired gave me nightmares. I didn't expect to live to see thirty. I was shocked when the Berlin Wall came down. Surprise! Reagan's strategy worked! Alas, the democratic principles he sought for the Soviet Union didn't survive Putin's thugocracy.
As I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate Reagan. While I still don't see eye-to-eye with plenty of his policies, I miss his congenial disposition, something sorely lacking in today's politics. I wasn't planning on reading this book, but a friend of mine insisted I read it, and I'm glad that I did. Well, most of it anyway.
August 20, 2018
Three Days in Moscow is an excellent book. Bret Baier, who by the way is a Marist alumnus writes about the diplomatic dance between Reagan and Gorbachev. Reagan was a master politician, and he led to the end of the Cold War and the defeat of the Soviet Union without violence and without war. This is an amazing accomplishment. The highlight of the book is a speech that Reagan gave at Moscow University where he urged the students to fight for freedom. Reagan is the reason that Eastern Europe is free and the Berlin Wall is a relic of history. Reagan called the Soviet Union an evil empire and he was right. He demanded that Gorbachev tear down the Berlin Wall in a famous speech at the the Brandenburg Gate. When asked what he wanted in his diplomacy with the USSR, Reagan stated, "We win and they lose." Three Days in Moscow is amazingly topical today as the Democratic Party flirts with Socialism, which has been proven over and over to be a failed political ideology that people in my generation believed was no more. What I found most interesting about this book was the abuse that Reagan took. I sort of remembered this, but this book fully jogged my memory. His opposition believed that he was a stupid actor who was nothing more than a warmonger. The Democratic Party believed that the Soviet Union was going to be around forever and that Eastern Europe would always be Soviet satellites. Massive demonstrations against Reagan took place in the US. Sound familiar. Trump is no Reagan, but when you stir up the status quo, the status quo fights back with a vengeance. Reagan knew what he believed, and he fought for it. Baier makes an excellent point at the end of the book. If Reagan had died in office, if Mondale had been elected President, the Soviet Union might still be around. People have already forgotten what Reagan achieved. All students need to read this book.
January 25, 2020
"Three Days in Moscow" by Bret Baier was really pretty good for the most part. Baier isn’t a scholar and doesn’t write like one, but here presents a breezy book on the 40th President chiefly focused on the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the End of the Cold War. Baier writes simply, in a straightforward fashion, and is engaging. This book is more hagiography than anything, but does shine a light on those times when we sparred with Russia before the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the End of the Cold War. It was certainly an interesting period, and Reagan’s relationship with Gorbachev – which involved four separate summits – is the central theme of Baier’s narrative. Reagan was one of the last truly conservative presidents in the positive sense of the word.
It is too bad that at the end of the book Baier had to fall back on his Fox News roots and shill just a little for President Trump. Trump is not at all like Reagan – in temperament, in honesty, in approach to world problems, or in his conservative roots, so I am not sure why Baier slipped in these pages. But in context, there are only ten pages devoted to sidling up to Trump for what I suspect will be one of Baier’s future books. While the ten pages are jarring in that they did not fit the storyline, they can easily be ignored for the greater good of Baier’s tale.
Read the first parts and skip the last ten pages … you’ll enjoy reminiscing about when the Republican party stood for something.
It is too bad that at the end of the book Baier had to fall back on his Fox News roots and shill just a little for President Trump. Trump is not at all like Reagan – in temperament, in honesty, in approach to world problems, or in his conservative roots, so I am not sure why Baier slipped in these pages. But in context, there are only ten pages devoted to sidling up to Trump for what I suspect will be one of Baier’s future books. While the ten pages are jarring in that they did not fit the storyline, they can easily be ignored for the greater good of Baier’s tale.
Read the first parts and skip the last ten pages … you’ll enjoy reminiscing about when the Republican party stood for something.
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