"An Evil Empire": The Rhetorical Rearmament of Ronald Reagan A dissertation presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Jon Richard Peterson June 2010 © 2010 Jon Richard Peterson. All Rights Reserved. 2 This dissertation titled "An Evil Empire": The Rhetorical Rearmament of Ronald Reagan by JON RICHARD PETERSON has been approved for the Department of History and the College of Arts and Sciences by Chester J. Pach, Jr. Associate Professor of History Benjamin M. Ogles Dean, College of Arts and Sciences 3 ABSTRACT PETERSON, JON R., Ph.D., June 2010, History "An Evil Empire": The Rhetorical Rearmament of Ronald Reagan (311 pp.) Director of Dissertation: Chester J. Pach, Jr. This project examines the origins, drafting, and effects of Ronald Reagan’s Evil Empire speech. My dissertation introduces this important address by exploring Reagan’s political ideology during his pre-presidential years. His ideological polemics coexisted with his pragmatic governing style. I subsequently explain how ending the foreign policy of détente with the Soviet Union led to the rise of the Nuclear Freeze movement, a broad- based, bipartisan, interfaith, international peace group. The dissertation centers on the reaction by peace activists, evangelical Christians, the Kremlin, and the mainstream news media to rhetorical rearmament, Reagan’s Manichean and moralistic characterization of his foreign policy ideology. My project concludes by studying the political phenomenon of “evil empire” over the past quarter century The importance of the study derives from the political mobilization of the White House against this incarnation of the peace movement among religious voters, in the news media, and from the bully pulpit. My dissertation examines the varying levels of support the Nuclear Freeze movement received from peace activists, the mainstream news media, and religious organizations. The president needed to counteract the movement’s popularity by creating a favorable national discourse on behalf of his military rearmament. Instead, Reagan’s oratory exacerbated the Cold War tensions by deeming the Soviet Union “an evil empire” and “the focus of evil in the modern world.” 4 The president found himself caught between his desire for nuclear arms reductions and his unyielding belief in the inherent evil of Soviet Communism. Throughout his presidency, Reagan alternated between ideological and pragmatic approaches toward the Soviet Union. The Evil Empire speech was the height of ideology. Yet, soon after the address the president came to favor pragmatism than ideology. He embraced Mikhail Gorbachev and created the conditions necessary to end the Cold War. Rhetorical rearmament had the unintended consequences of galvanizing the Nuclear Freeze movement, hindering U.S.-Soviet diplomacy, and contributing to the end of the Cold War. Approved: _____________________________________________________________ Chester J. Pach, Jr. Associate Professor of History 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS As a graduate student at Ohio University, I have benefitted from the small and collegial community in bowels of Bentley Annex and the musty hall of Brown House. I owe many debts to the indefatigable administrator at Brown House, Kara Dunfee. Contemporary History Institute Directors Mike Grow and Steve Miner along with History Department Chairs Norm Goda and Patrick Barr-Melej and Graduate Chairs Katherine Jellison and Chester Pach helped me secure vital financial funding for research and writing. Among my graduate student colleagues Bill Knoblauch helped push me over the finish line. Jeff Bloodworth was a sounding board for many of my early ideas about this project. Paul Isherwood has offered insightful commentary and suggests about this project for the past six years. I owe a debt of gratitude to the Casa Cantina Crew of Bill Knoblauch, Paul Isherwood, Patrick Campbell, Todd Pfeiffer, and Jack Epstein who read chapters with the insufficient bribe of nachos and beer. James Waite provided ideas and encouragement from the Southern Hemisphere. Steve Heise, Robert Davis, Brent Geary, Christian Peterson, Ricky Garlitz, Renee LaFleur, Jeremy Hatfield, Shane McCrory, Pete Wickman, Ben Lowenberg, and Julian Nemeth also contributed to the success of this project. I have benefitted from the generous financial support of the Contemporary History Institute, the History Department, the Baker Peace Committee, and George Washington University’s Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies. Beyond Ohio University, Fredrik Logevall, Jeremi Suri, Kyle Longley, James Graham Wilson, Hallvard Notaker, and my fellow participants at the SHAFR Summer 6 Institute collaborated, helped, or offered constructive criticism at various stages. I was greatly helped by the archivists and staff at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA, the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, CA, the Billy Graham Center Archives and National Association of Evangelicals collection at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL, and the Vanderbilt Television News Archive in Nashville, TN. My family and friends provided invaluable support for my graduate student lifestyle. I have felt the support of my mother, Ingrid, and my uncle, Fred Peterson, from preschool to Ph.D. My father-in-law Greg Carlson became a book mule for our unexpected long haul of dissertation books to and from Minnesota. My mother-in-law, Dorene Carlson was a source of steady positivity. Thanks to my brothers-in-law Matt Ritz and Josh Carlson for demonstrating interest in my project. Thanks to Mandy Ritz to opening her house. Lucas Moellers housed and fed me during my research trip to Chicago. Jessica Seeley braved the Wisconsin State Historical Society archives to find needed documents at a time when I was indisposed. Renee Geary helped evade fines at Alden Library. The Decorah Mafia for supported and encouraged me throughout this endeavor, especially Brad Albers and Ben Rudolf. My undergraduate thesis advisor, Marv Slind, set me on the course that would turn my vague idea of seeking a PhD in history into a reality. This study has benefitted from the oversight of my dissertation committee. Maria Fanis offered a fresh perspective from a political scientist’s viewpoint. Alonzo Hamby challenged me to reconsider some of my assumptions and a result made my work stronger. Kevin Mattson offered the perspective of a participant in events discusses in 7 this study. He also provided inspiration regarding how to write a book about a speech. I benefitted from our long conversations ranging from contemporary history to current politics. My advisor, Chester Pach, has helped me in immeasurable ways throughout my many years in Athens. His scrutiny, constructive criticism, and encouragement ensured that I created a work of which I can be proud. On a personal note, I would also like to thank all the doctors, nurses, and staff of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the University of Minnesota’s Fairview Riverside Hospital in Minneapolis and the Special Care Nursery at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, MN, especially Dr. Ted Thompson, and nurses: Deb, Sarah V., Amy, and Lizzie. Without their expert and dedicated care for our premature son, this project and its author would be where we are today. Final thanks go to my wife Anna, who moved to Appalachia, embarked on her career, bore us a miraculous and perfect baby boy, and vigorously supported me. 8 DEDICATION For Anna, Anders, Geneva, and Marilee Peterson Four Generations who have helped sustain me 9 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... 5 Dedication ........................................................................................................................... 8 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 10 Chapter One: Developing Reagan’s Anticommunism ...................................................... 20 Chapter Two: The Nuclear Freeze Movement and the White House ............................... 53 Chapter Three: Conservatives Seek More Rhetorical Rearmament ................................ 99 Chapter Four: The Evil Empire Speech .......................................................................... 121 Chapter Five: Mixed Reviews on the Evening News ..................................................... 149 Chapter Six: Christian and Conservative Reaction to the Evil Empire Speech ............. 169 Chapter Seven: The Rhetorical Freeze, 1983-1985 ....................................................... 190 Chapter Eight: Toward Rhetorical Disarmament ........................................................... 218 Chapter Nine: The Meanings of Ronald Reagan and “Evil Empire” ............................ 248 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 275 Bibliography and Sources ............................................................................................... 283 10 INTRODUCTION The American people elected Ronald Reagan in November 1980 because he represented something Jimmy Carter no longer did. Reagan presented himself as a leader who would restore