Peace

“To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.” President George Washington – The First State of the Union Address – January 8, 1790

In 1980, Ronald Reagan used the phrase “Peace Through Strength” during his election challenge against Jimmy Carter, accusing the incumbent of weak, vacillating leadership that invited enemies to attack the United States and its allies. Reagan later considered it one of the mainstays of his foreign policy as President. In 1986, he explained it thus:

“We know that peace is the condition under which mankind was meant to flourish. Yet peace does not exist of its own will. It depends on us, on our courage to build it and guard it and pass it on to future generations. George Washington’s words may seem hard and cold today, but history has proven him right again and again. “To be prepared for war,” he said, “is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.” Well, to those who think strength provokes conflict, Will Rogers had his own answer. He said of the world heavyweight champion of his day: “I’ve never seen anyone insult Jack Dempsey.”

The approach has been credited for forcing the Soviet Union to lose the arms race and end the Cold War.

“Peace Through Strength” is the official motto of the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76). CVN-76 was commissioned on July 12, 2003 at Naval Station Norfolk.