Introduction
How did Reagan’s Contras prove that the Reagan Administration was more Concerned for the Spread of Communism than Human Lives themselves?
The Reagan Administration allowed human rights to be often overlooked; this is seen looking at the Contras. The Contras were a 500 man group made by the CIA in the 1980s to overthrow the Nicaraguan government. The Reagan Administration’s actions concentrated on the Contras provide the viewpoint of how much America was afraid of communism and that Latin American countries would not follow America’s ideals themselves. Overall, Nicaragua’s actions were inhuman; these actions were not taken as seriously as the Reagan administration’s crimes were.
To look further into proving the Reagan administration was only in the contra deal to stop communism itself. I searched on many different academic sources looking at both criminal justice and political science databases and looking at history journals of what the contras crime themself, allowed for these conclusions to be proven themselves. The goal is to provide a comprehensive picture of the primary purpose of this administration and how inhumane they could be in general. These primary sources provide an insight into specific information that was supplied by CIA files. They are needed to be included as the CIA are the closest in the communication views of the contras. By looking at multiple sources from Nicaragua itself, it took time to translate itself, but it was given to them by the CIA to put up an-anti Sandinista government.
Before analyzing the documents, it is necessary to add some background on the events in Nicaragua with the contras and the relation that was made to stop communism themselves. Reagan could financially allow for the contrast, as the CIA was their financial backing through the Reagan doctrine. They chose to back the rebel group as they were fighting against it because they opposed the FSLN. Who had ties to Cuba and the Soviet Union, and because they were not democratic. The Contras were anti-Sandinistas, as many believed that the Sandinistas would never allow for a democratic government in Nicaragua. This group did not receive the attention they wanted because they were known to show little care for human rights. American responded in a manner of disapproval but knew it could allow for a tad of getting rid of the communist ideas spreading in Latin America. This war was not often out in the service as it was known as the secret war.
The beginning of the Reagan Administration: The attack on Latin America
At this time, Sandinistas began to take over Nicaragua, with Reagan in his campaign in the 1980s. His main goal through his campaign was to emphasize controlling the “evil empire” of the soviet union or any communist governments that existed or causing problems. Later after being elected into office, he went on to talk about how these issues were that the soviet union was sending weapons to Cuba. This allows for fear of communism to spread more and more, as the idea of Russia giving weapons to a country so close would cause an issue. After all of this happening,
Reagan began to come out as a speech may 9th expressing the goals of what will happen in Latin America[1]. At the beginning of the address, Reagan further said that the “U.S is not here to start wars” [1], that the main goal is to defend and preserve freedom and peace for all that might take that way.
Further, his goal is to allow the American people to understand the issues by stating how many women and children are being attacked and under communist governments. This is not just one method of trying to show the dramatic situation, but then next will show that the Sandinistas are a communist who has a relationship with Fadel Castro[1]. Looking at the history of America, the name of Fadel causes a lot of issues as America is scared of that name itself. Further, this speech describes Sandinistas as monsters, and this administration will do anything possible to help with that.
It conveys how much Reagan was attuned about making his straightforward opinion on communism itself. Before even a few months into his years in office, Reagan was already in such depth—explained in other sources that many outside conspirators allowed for many of this plan that he is beginning to set up in this speech itself. Overall, his goal is to enable the people to be scared of communism to make it easier for him to do his deals so if he doesn’t get caught, it will not be seen as so awful as he was trying to spread freedom and stop communism no matter what it took. This has allowed the understanding of how scared the United States was in the move of communism.
Soon before Reagan’s speech on furthering the scare of communism, he declared that the foreign countries are the top concern for the national security of the United States[2]. It is not just the concern of this administration but the CIA themselves too, as more files are being secretly led in using different wordings to allow for the funding to the contras to be up in the air, and it seems like they are adding these fighters of communism. By stating that we will “provide all forms of training and equipment and related assistance to cooperatives throughout central America” [2]. All the goals to support objectives are blacked out in the CIA file. This allows for this funding to begin to keep moving and help the Contras with the weapons or any other things they needed. Further, at the same time, Contras were starting to cause more and more issues, letting out many prisoners and keeping going killing any citizens who disagreed with their ideals.
This begins the communication between the Reagans administration, following a speech that Reagan gave to contrast themselves. He very much emphasizes fighting for freedom, even though it was still very well known about the contras terrorist methods. In the same month, the Contras destroyed two villages by burning almost everything down[7]. Throughout this audio, Reagan emphasizes very much making sure that they understand that this is a fight for democracy and that Nicaragua very much is a communist regime [6]. Further going on to state that all Central Americans earn the Contra gratitude, this voice recording sounds almost as it is coming from a flight from the American Revolution. This shows how scared the United States was for communism to spread[4]. This audio time spot shows how much Reagan disregarded his small team’s issues that he is doing. Months after talking to the Contras and encouraging their fight for democracy, a CIA document states that this federal agency has supported the paramilitary operation against the Nicaraguan government.
The start of the Contra-Iran Arms Affairs
As with all CIA files before this time, it was often that many of the words would be blacked out or are in minor classification. This provides the exact words Nicaragua instead of just helping Central America themselves. This was when the CIA knew exactly what was going on in Nicaragua, instead of almost hiding the information like before his first few years in office. They describe the contra as “the democratic leaders” by pointing out that this goal was convincing all congresses that this is almost the same as the American Revolution. This is allowing for more support of the contras and allows for other countries to be moved in and help with more resources to support the cause. This led Reagan to the Contra-Iran arms affairs, as this was the opening that Reagan began with the experiences he made earlier in his campaign.
After this, the CIA started to lead out many documents, advising how to sabotage against the Sandinista Government. Knowing that this was still at large, the Contras are still using tactics that are causing many people, especially women who were constantly in danger, to be sexually assaulted as that was the Contras usual[7]. This was hard to translate, but overall, it all started to stand up and fight for the freedom they deserve.[3]
Years after the Contra affair was over, it was noticed that even after all the cover-up and the allowing of Reagan to get away with knowing the inhuman actions of his contras, not as many people honestly thought about as you would think[9]. As mentioned earlier, this essay would not cover the contra affair, as most historians often cover this spectrum of the research instead of before and after. This affair taught many other future presidents how to get away with the experiences, but often in another way as overall this has shown it is all about vocab itself. Provides that even after years of being, this was still known as the secret war that all would want to hide these issues. And not be caught with the inhumane actions that this administration allowed to happen.
[1] Secret Presidential Finding May 9th 1980 Reagan administration http://www.brown.edu/Research/Understanding_the_Iran_Contra_Affair/documents/d-nic-5.pdf
[2] Secret President Finding, December 1st, 1981 Reagan Administration
[3] The C.I.A. Advises Nicaraguans How to Sabotage the Sandinista Government
[4] Scope Of the CIA Activities , Under the circumstances of Nicaragua https://www.brown.edu/Research/Understanding_the_Iran_Contra_Affair/documents/d-all-19.pdf
[5] White House, Presidential Finding on Covert Operations in Nicaragua (with attached Scope Note), SECRET, September 19, 1983https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB210/1-Reagan%20Finding%209-19-83%20(IC%2000203).pdf
[6]Series: Presidential Audio Recordings, 1/20/1981 – 1/20/1989
[7]CIA, Memorandum from DDI Robert M. Gates to DCI William J. Casey, “Nicaragua,” SECRET, December 14, 1984
[8]On his way to the helicopter taking him to Camp David for the weekend, President Reagan pauses to display a T-shirt given to him by a supporter in the crowd. (March 7, 1986- UPI/Bettman Newsphotos).
[9] NSC, Memorandum from Oliver L. North to Robert C. McFarlane, “Fallback Plan for the Nicaraguan Resistance,” TOP SECRET, March 16, 1985 (with version altered by North in November 1986)https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB210/4-North%20Fallback%20memo%203-16-85%20(IC%2000952).pdf