2016/09/01 by Robert C. Rowland, John M. Jones · 1 citation
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Rhetoric and Communication Studies #Religion and Society Interactions #American Constitutional Law and Politics #Victory #Cold war #Rhetorical question #Negotiation #Rhetoric #Communism #Democracy #Law #Martin luther king #Political science #Fall of man #Sociology #Philosophy #Theology #Politics #Civil rights
paper · doi:10.14321/rhetpublaffa.19.3.0427
openalex publication_date 2016/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
Abstract This essay examines Ronald Reagan’s 1983 speech to the National Association of Evangelicals, along with speeches and foundational documents leading up to the address. We argue that Reagan utilized a rhetorical approach consistent with what Martin and Annelise Anderson have termed a “grand strategy” for winning the Cold War. This “strategy” consisted of three components. First, Reagan labeled the Soviet system evil and a failure. Second, Reagan argued that the path to victory required an arms buildup that would leave the Soviets with no choice but to negotiate arms reduction. Finally, Reagan’s rhetoric contained a defense of liberal democracy and the prediction that such a system eventually would triumph over Soviet communism.