Originally Posted by Katczinsky

Conservatives placed Reagan in a rather unwarranted cult of personality. Sure Reagan was a great communicator, but he really proved great only at that. He's given way too much credit for the downfall of the Soviet Union. It's kind of childish and bordering on idolatry to consider the 'great conservative hero' as the sole slayer of the evil empire, because it really isn't based on facts but wishful idolatry thinking.

In terms of U.S. Presidents, past Presidents had the same and sometimes more to do with fighting the Soviet Union than Reagan. But ultimately the vast majority of the blame of the Soviet downfall is internal political strife and especially Gorbachev's political failings and economic failings (his programs disrupted the Soviet system).