Foundations of Foreign Policy, 1975–1980


4. Statement by Ronald Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, White House Office of Speechwriting, Research Office, 1980 Campaign File, Campaign Reference File 1964–1980, Defense/Peace Strategy. No classification marking. The statement is printed on “Reagan for President NEWS” letterhead, prepared by the Reagan for President Campaign. For additional information about Reagan’s remarks, see Bernard Weinraub, “Reagan Blames Carter ‘Failure’ For Soviet Move: Joins in G.O.P Criticism of the President’s Speech,” New York Times, January 25, 1980, p. A12.


5. Excerpts From a Speech by Ronald Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, White House Office of Speechwriting, Research Office, 1980 Campaign File, Campaign Reference File 1964–1980, Defense/Peace Strategy. No classification marking. The excerpt is printed on “Reagan for President NEWS” letterhead, prepared by the Reagan for President Campaign. Reagan delivered the speech at the 64th annual Worcester County Lincoln Day dinner. For additional information about the speech, see Lou Cannon, “Reagan’s Foreign Policy: Scrap ‘Weakness, Illusion,’ Stress Military Strength,” Washington Post, February 16, 1980, p. A3.


8. Address by Ronald Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, White House Office of Speechwriting, Research Office, 1980 Campaign File, Campaign and Pre-Presidential Speeches, 1979–1981, 0/8/18/1980 VFW Convention, Chicago, IL. Reagan addressed the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars at McCormack Place at the beginning of a 4-day, three-state campaign tour; see F. Richard Ciccone, “Reagan vows strong U.S.: VFW speech here opens campaign,” Chicago Tribune, August 19, 1980, pp. 1, 8. For additional information concerning the address, see Howell Raines, “Reagan Calls Arms Race Essential To Avoid a ‘Surrender’ or ‘Defeat’,” New York Times, pp. A1, D17, and Lou Cannon, “Reagan: ‘Peace Through Strength’,” Washington Post, pp. A1, A4; both August 19, 1980.


9. Statement by Ronald Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, White House Office of Speechwriting, Research Office, 1980 Campaign File, Campaign and Pre-Presidential Speeches, 1979–1981, 08/25/1980 Statement on China/Taiwan. No classification marking. Reagan delivered the statement at a news conference held at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel, in which Bush, the Republican Vice Presidential nominee, also participated. (Howell Raines, “Reagan, Conceding Misstatements, Abandons Plan on Taiwan Office,” New York Times, August 26, 1980, pp. A1, B7)


10. Address by George Bush

Source: Reagan Library, White House Office of Speechwriting, Research Office, 1980 Campaign File, Campaign and Pre-Presidential Speeches, 1979–1981, 09/11/1980 George Bush—Speech Commonwealth Club. No classification marking. The address is printed on Reagan & Bush letterhead and prepared by the Reagan-Bush Committee. Bush spoke at the St. Francis Hotel before members of the Commonwealth Club at noon PDT. For press reports on the address, see Philip Shabecoff, “Bush Strives to Draw Attention to Reagan’s Policies, Not to Himself,” New York Times, September 13, 1980, p. 10, and Felicity Barringer, “Bush Cheers the Gray, White and Gold,” Washington Post, September 12, 1980, p. A4.


14. Address by Ronald Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, White House Office of Speechwriting, Research Office, 1980 Campaign File, Campaign and Pre-Presidential Speeches, 1979–1981, 10/19/1980 TV Speech Strategy of Peace for the 80s. No classification marking. The CBS television network broadcast the half-hour address. (Douglas Kneeland, “Reagan Calls Peace His First Objective in Address to Nation: Counters Carter’s Charges, Talk Outlines a Bipartisan Foreign Policy—Pledges Arms Talks Based on U.S. Strength,” New York Times, pp. A1, D10, and Lou Cannon, “Reagan: SALT III ‘My Goal’: Candidate Seeks To Clarify Position on A-Arms Control,” Washington Post, pp. A1, A9; both October 20, 1980) The New York Times printed excerpts from the address; see “Excerpts From Reagan’s Televised Speech Rebutting Carter on Foreign Policy,” New York Times, October 20, 1980, p. B10.


16. Paper Prepared by the Interim Foreign Policy Advisory Board

Source: Reagan Library, 1980 Transition Papers, Foreign Policy (Richard Allen), [Foreign Policy Advisory Board—Meeting, 11/21/1980—Participant Binders—Allen]. No classification marking. Eyes Only. The paper printed here is Tab I of Allen’s binder, prepared in advance of the Board’s first meeting on November 21. An agenda, a press release, and Tabs II and III, consisting of undated papers outlining issues requiring a position prior to the inauguration and policy initiatives requiring reorganization, are attached but not printed. Tab IV, a report for President-elect Reagan, is not attached. No minutes of the meeting have been found. An October 25 news release issued by the Reagan-Bush Committee announced that Reagan had appointed an interim foreign policy advisory committee designed to “monitor and assess international developments through the inauguration on January 20.” The board members were: Allen, Howard Baker, Casey, Clements, Ford, Haig, Kirkpatrick, Kissinger, McCloy, Eugene Rostow, Rumsfeld, Shultz, Tower, and Weinberger. (Reagan Library, White House Office of Speechwriting, Research Office, 1980 Campaign File, Campaign and Pre-Presidential Speeches, 1979–1981, 10/25/1980 Interim Foreign Policy Advisory Committee)


17. Report Prepared by the Department of State Transition Team

Source: Reagan Library, 1980 Transition Papers, Deputy Director for Executive Branch Management (William Timmons), Issues Clusters, National Security (D. Abshire), National Security Group (Abshire)—Department of State—Final Report 12/22/80 Vol. I (1/6). No classification marking. Volume I of the report includes the Team Director’s Overview and Summary and Tabs A–G. Volume II includes Tabs M–S and is in the Reagan Library, 1980 Transition Papers, Deputy Director for Executive Branch Management (William Timmons), Issues Clusters, National Security (D. Abshire), National Security Group (Abshire)—Department of State—Final Report 12/22/80 Vol. II. All tabs are attached but not printed. Before the inauguration, the Reagan transition team established an Office of Executive Branch Management headed by Timmons. Robert Neumann served as the team leader for the Department of State Transition Team and reported to Abshire, the team leader for national security affairs. In addition to Neumann, the members of the State Transition Team were Adelman, Brower, Codevilla, Crocker, Drischler, Hackett, McFarlane, Pipes, Rashish, Sanjuan, Stern, Tiller, Weiss, Winsor, and Zapanta.