Richard Nixon's Policies, Reagan Revolution, and the End of Cold War

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History
Question 1
There were stark differences between Richard Nixon's policies and those of his immediate predecessors. They largely revolved around foreign affairs, particularly the Vietnam War. Kennedy and Johnson made genuine and sincere efforts to stop Vietnam from falling into the hands of communists (Germany, par. 2). However, President Nixon deviated from those efforts and employed manipulative mechanisms to use global order to America's advantage. For instance, he channeled foreign aid to South Vietnam to end the war and draw the country into America's orbit. Additionally, unlike his predecessors, Nixon opened up to China to counter the spread of communism. On the other hand, Carter's administration centrally focused on the economy and introduced policies to ensure tighter spending.
Question 2
Upon ascending to the presidency, Reagan adopted policies that had long-term effects on the Reagan Revolution and the rise of conservatives. On the domestic front, the policies included lessening the responsibility of the federal government to solve social problems. In addition, Reagan’s conservative administration reduced restrictions on businesses besides implementing tax cuts (Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum par. 1). Internationally, President Reagan demonstrated a profound dislike for the spread of communism throughout the world. For example, he provided the Contras with strong financial and military support to fight against the communist Nicaraguan government. In sum, Reagan’s conservative ideologies ushered in a new era of governing in the United States.
Question 3
The cold war ended in 1990, and several events contributed to the same. The first one was the ascendancy to power in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Gorbachev. He was a dedicated reformer who allowed Western ideas and goods in the Soviet Union (U.S. History par. 2). Another event that helped stem the cold war was the fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent unification of Germany. The end of the cold war impacted American policies in several ways, including the growing need to preserve America’s homogeny. In addition, in the aftermath of the cold war, America feels perpetually constrained to use sustained military operations to ease humanitarian disasters.
Question 4
The administrati...