With decades of hindsight, the peaceful end of the Cold War seems to have been inevitable. But in the early 1980s, most experts believed the Soviet Union was strong and stable, and would last into the next century. Ronald Reagan entered the White House with no certainty of what would happen next, only an overriding faith in democracy and an abiding belief that Soviet communism—and the threat of nuclear war—must end.

Based on his interviews with senior Reagan officials and thousands of pages of newly declassified documents, Dr. William Inboden, in his new biography “The Peacemaker,” sheds a fresh perspective on President Reagan’s unwavering faith and commitment to freedom during the Cold War. 

On October 30, 2024, Dr. Inboden was the keynote speaker at Acton’s 34th Annual Dinner. Take a listen.

Subscribe to our podcasts

Acton On-Demand

William Inboden | University of Florida 

The Peacemaker | Penguin Random House