ABSTRACT
What role did the United States play in transforming the Cold War? A comprehensive analysis of how and why the Cold War ended is beyond the scope of a single essay. Consequently, this chapter seeks to understand one aspect of the ending of the Cold War: what role did the Reagan administration play in improving superpower relations during the 1980s? This is the source of considerable debate, particularly within the United States. There are multitudes of opinions regarding the Reagan administration’s role, but three perspectives in particular have dominated the discussion.
