Abstract

This study examines Ronald Reagan's June 12, 1987, address at the Brandenburg Gate. We argue that the speech coupled ideological and moral clarity with pragmatism. Reagan, through what Richard M. Weaver called "argument by definition," critiqued the Soviet system and called for the destruction of the Berlin Wall. Simultaneously, the president recognized that times and contexts had changed and displayed pragmatism by expressing a willingness to work with the Soviets. We use a close analysis of the speech along with materials from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library relevant to the drafting process to make this argument.

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