Considering that the official name of this speech is "Remarks on East-West Relations at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin," it's not really too big of a stretch to conclude that it deals with…East-West relations.
Now that we've dropped that bomb, prepare for another one:
When Reagan talks about improving the relationship between the East and West, he never once says that the West should become more like the East. Nope, not even a little bit. Instead, the best way for the East and West to get their kumbaya on is for the East to become more like the West.
Basically, Reagan is saying, "It's not me, it's you."
Questions About Contrasting Regions: The East and the West
- Obviously not every Western country was identical and not every Eastern country was identical. What's the benefit of sticking to the more general East and West descriptors?
- Which of your favorite love songs best captures Ronnie's feelings about the East? Why?
- How does Reagan use peer pressure to back up his words?
Chew on This
The U.S. is being kind of bratty, thinking that the East has to change to meet some mainstream idea of what a good country looks like; it's not like the West is perfect anyway.
It's about time someone told the East what's up instead of being all political and beating around the bush: they need to bring their backwards selves into the future, and the West is the future.