>I didn't realize how unclear it is whether Reagan and other top officials regarded it as a bluff or >not, until I poked around a bit just now. Easy to see how they might have started off serious, then >decided to re-write history and say it was all a bluff. I have some up-close and personal experience >with the Reagan White House rewriting history - their version persists in most peoples' minds still; >when I tell my version, most people are still surprised. Shows the power of the bully pulpit, sure was >interesting to see it first-hand.
If it was a bluff, it was a brilliant bluff. Getting the USSR to focus on Star Wars instead of invading Europe and hastening their collapse to minimize the time of risk was just what Truman thought of when we came up with containment instead of war. As it was, we were luckly. If the coup wasn't overturned, the USSR would have reformed and a last gasp attack on Europe might have happened. Dan M. _______________________________________________ http://box535.bluehost.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
