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Reagan was the one who saw the Cold War through to its completion -- as such he was working within the framework of the "grand strategy" established by Roosevelt and Truman (I'm not sure why only Roosevelt and not also Truman get credit for the post WWII grand strategy). At least that's what I'm assuming Gaddis would say.

I believe this is a reasoned logical response, but I'm not quite willing to sign on to the rationalization.

IMO Roosevelt and Truman's grand scheme had withered on the vine by the time Carter came along twenty-five years later. By the time his administration was over, their efforts were essentially laying in a heap in the corner. Remember Carter's sweater laden Malase speach. That was essentially a surrender on the world stage. Once again, IMO, that was the last nail in the Roosevelt/Truman grand scheme's coffin. Without a world-class leader following up Carter, the Soviet Union would be regarded as simply another world class state.

Heck, all of Europe was willing to let bygones be bygones. Reagan had to send in Pershing II missiles essentially against their will. When he played hard-ball in Raciavic (sp?), they, our democrats and even a good number of Republicans thought Reagan was nuts. His 'Evil Empire' quote reinforced that thought. His Space Defense Initiative grand design was simply the icing on the cake. The democrats were thrilled to call him senile and the press did it's best to further that idea.

I believe that the eight years of Bill Clinton and his criminal crime syndicate undid much of what Ronald Reagan achieved for this nation. It's a damned shame. We would be a much different nation if a man with at least some morals had been president from 1992 to 2000. Reagan's legacy was killed. Although he gets some credit for his efforts, he is not recognized for the full merit of his efforts.