Reagan's Dura Logs

I recently read an article commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Many historians believe this single event marks the official "Fall of Communism". Yet some harken back to a 1987 speech by Ronald Reagan who demanded Mikhail Gorbachev to "Tear Down that Wall!" They believe Reagan's speech started a series of events that ultimately put an end to both the Cold War and Communism. Talk about two birds with one stone!

Now I'm no historian, but I was around back in those days. I remember it a bit differently. Don't get me wrong, I thought Regan played a key role in the Fall of Communism, but I just don't think it's as prominent as some might suggest. I would argue that he, as Billy Joel might say, "didn't start the fire, it was always burning since the world was turning". Well actually, it wasn't always burning. According to my research, the fire started two years earlier...

It was 1985. The Russian landscape was rugged, remote, and expansive. The harsh conditions did a number on it's inhabitants. The natives did all they could to combat the brutal environment. They tried in vain to use any technological advantage they had in their battle for survival. But fancy electronic gadgets were no match for Mother Natures raw power.

Enter the picture, a foreigner. Deployed in the middle of Siberia. He had nothing but the cool leather jacket, and black wool cap he wore on the plane. Not only was he foreign , but he was an AMERICAN. Stupid Americans! Fat, lazy, rude! The Russians despised them. The Russians despised him. Surely there would be no welcome wagon to introduce him to this new land. He would receive no help (except from his trainers) from the locals. He was all alone, on a deserted, frozen island (except it was a mountain), surrounded by enemies.

I'm speaking of course of one Robert "Rocky" Balboa. So there he was, this blue collar (with a Tiger emblazoned on the back) Italian kid from the mean streets of Philadelphia. He was in the battle of his life, taking on Siberia, the Cold War, Communism, and most formidable of all, Ivan Drago. Talk about having your hands full.

To make a long story short, Rocky overcame the stacked deck, and ultimately conquered ALL of his opponents(Drago by KO). After his victory, he addressed the audience in a post-fight speech. He could've been a real prick about it too, saying something like "Suck it Russia! I just knocked out your boy! USA! USA! USA!" but the venerable Balboa took the high road, and delivered this amazing speech. The real speech that compelled Gorbachev to tear down that wall.



Sure he may have suffered some minor to moderate brain damage in the process, but what he did for his country was immeasurable. A true American Hero. His mark in history is indelible. It was Rocky who started the fire. No matches. No wood. In the middle of the friggin tundra. All Reagan did was throw some prepackaged store bought DuraFlame logs onto the blaze.

And the rest as they say was history. USA! USA! USA!