The Public Papers of President Ronald W. Reagan - The Ronald Reagan Library

Selected Speeches

• Commencement at Eureka College (1957)



• A Time for Choosing ("The Speech") (October 27, 1964)



• The Creative Society (1966)



• California and the Problem of Government Growth (1967)



• Republican National Convention (1976)



• Announcement for the Presidency (1979)



• Acceptance of Presidential Nomination (July 17, 1980)
  
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  Republican National Convention, broadcast from Detroit, Michigan.
  
  
• First Inaugural Address (January 20, 1981)
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  Reagan focuses on the economy and ending inflation, while lessening the influence and growth of big government. He returns to passages in his 1967 inaugural speech for California 's governorship.



• President Reagan's Address to the British Parliament (June 8, 1982)
  Often considered the original "evil empire" speech, Reagan predicts that Communism will be left on the "ash-heap of history." He quotes Winston Churchill on numerous occasions and praises the British for the Falklands War. He concludes with a call for a "crusade for freedom."



• "Evil Empire" Speech (March 8, 1983)
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  Address to the National Association of Evangelicals in Orlando, Florida that would come to represent Reagan's view of the Soviet Union. Reagan defends America's Judeo-Christian traditions against the Soviet Union's totalitarian leadership and lack of religious faith, expressing his belief that these differences are at the heart of the fight between the two nations.



• Bombing of the US Embassy in Beirut (1983)



• Soviet Attack on Korean Flight 007 (1983)



• President Reagan's Speech at Pointe de Hoc, Normandy, France (The 40th Anniversary of D-Day) (June 6, 1984)
  
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  Address in Normandy, France to the American Rangers who fought on D-Day. After recounting events from D-Day and commending the those who fought in World War II for their service, Reagan uses the speech to make a comparison between the Allied fight against fascism and the current fight against communism.



• President Reagan's Address at the U.S.-French Ceremony at Omaha Beach, Normandy, France (The 40th Anniversary of D-Day) (1984)



• Republican National Convention (August 23, 1984)
  Download Audio (mp3) Broadcast from Dallas, Texas. Reagan reflects on taxes, poverty, and foreign policy. He criticizes the Democrats for high taxes, liberal policies and a lack of concern for the American family. He closes with words on the Cold-War with the Soviet Union.



• Second Inaugural Address (1985)



• Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp (May 5, 1985)
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  In an address to the leadership of Germany, the German people and survivors of the Holocaust, Reagan remembers those who were lost, the pain the survivors still feel, and the lessons to be learned from the Holocaust. He speaks of Anne Frank who perished at Bergen-Belsen. Reagan concludes with the words "we can and must pledge, never again."



• President Reagan's Speech on the Challenger Disaster (January 28, 1986)
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  An address to the nation from the Oval Office on an evening scheduled for the State of the Union address. The space shuttle Challenger was supposed to be the first mission to put a civilian into space. He reminds his audience of the bravery and dedication of those who were killed on the shuttle.



• Address to the Nation on Iran-Contra (March 4, 1987)
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  Broadcast to the American people from the Oval Office. Reagan promises to tell the nation the truth regarding the Iran-Contra scandal and admits to making mistakes. He introduces new personnel and processes put in place to ensure the integrity of future national security decisions.



• Address from the Brandenburg Gate (Berlin Wall) (June 12, 1987)
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  In one of his most famous statements, Reagan declares "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" He speaks of future peace with the Soviet Union, and encourages the Soviet government to work on bringing East and West of Berlin together.



• Address at Moscow State University (May 31, 1988)
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  Reagan speaks of specific freedoms in America that he hopes Russians themselves will be able to experience. He introduces the possibilities of greater exchange programs between American and Russian students, future tourism, and economic exchange between the two nations. He speaks of strategic arms reductions, the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the hope for future peace in African nations. He ends the speech with a question and answer session with the faculty and students.



• Remarks at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (November 11, 1988)
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  Remarks at a Veterans Day Ceremony. Reagan praises those who fought in Vietnam, thanks the families that sacrificed their loved ones, and reminds the audience that despite the divisions of the War, the nation was ultimately strengthened.



• Farewell Address (January 11, 1989)
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  Broadcast to the American people from the Oval Office. Reagan mentions two triumphs from his presidency: the economic recovery and the recovery of American morale. He discusses America 's changing relations with the Soviet Union and shares his regret for the deficit that deepened during his time in office. He concludes by addressing America's sense of patriotism and refers to the nation as "a shining city on a hill.")



• Former President Reagan's Speech at the National Republican Convention (1992)



• President Reagan's Speech on the Occasion of the Tenth Anniversary of the Announcement of the Strategic Defense Initiative (1993)



• Reagan Announces Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease (1994)

(Summaries on the selected speeches taken from the Miller Center)