Ronald Reagan’s stern view of the U.S.S.R. formed around the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. This program examines how, once president, Reagan acted on his unswerving conviction that only confrontation, not appeasement, could win the Cold War. In articulating Reagan’s dual belief in defense against a first strike and, ultimately, nuclear arms reduction, the program traces his agenda of military buildup and aggressive rhetoric. George Shultz; Sam Nunn; Kenneth Adelman, Reagan’s arms control advisor; and others give their views on the Strategic Defense Initiative and many key events in Reagan’s political career. A Discovery Channel Production. (45 minutes)