Margaret Thatcher as Cunning Leader

David Blair wrote Margaret Thatcher: The 'Iron Lady's' Pivotal Role in Ending the Cold War to highlight Thatcher's cunning role in the Cold War. Whereas other articles have shown thatcher in a courageous light, Blair shows us how Thatcher is actually the brains rather than the brawn. Blair explains that Thatcher used Reagan as a means to deploy intelligent strategy in defeating the soviet union.

Blair begins by explaining the leaders ruling the Soviet Union during Thatcher's early administration were determined to do as they wish. As Blair explains, "Leonid Brezhnev, the Soviet leader, had no need to worry about public opinion in his own domain." Therefore, Brezhnev deployed SS20s in expectations that no singular western nation would bear the costs to deploy nuclear weapons on their own. Instead of standing idly by, Thatcher escalated the war by deploying SS20s of her own. This escalation encouraged legitimacy in Western Germany by providing an umbrella of hegemony controlled by Thatcher.
Meanwhile, Reagan began to take office with a similar mindset as Thatcher. Seeing Thatcher's escalation, Reagan began to deploy Star Wars, a massive escalation that, in combination with other forces, simply outspent the Soviets. As Blair explains, "While the US could be a military superpower by investing about 7 per cent of its national income on defence, Moscow had to spend at least 30 per cent just to keep pace." The cunning tactic Thatcher employed is reflective of the strategic qualities Hart describe in their writings. As Blair describes, "She was also the first to identify a Soviet politician who grasped the hard reality that his country could not win the Cold War." Thatcher told the world, "I like Mr Gorbachev. We can do business together." This is exactly the sign Gorbachev needed to take his shot at the Kremlin. Six months later, Gorbachev took office ready to negotiate with Thatcher and Reagan.

Thatcher clearly identified the situation as Hart describes, "the inevitable fact that war is a two party affair" while still understanding that the cold war consisted of two parties, but three powers. Therefore, Thatcher not only threw hits, but still blocking; she did this in the form of economic hits. With the financial support of the US (through US escalation of nuclear weapons), Thatcher was able to make a cunning punch into Soviet's gut by applauding Gorbachev. While Brezhnev had his economic guard up, he didn't focus on the political ramifications this had, allowing this sweep by Thatcher.
This event also highlights Hart's argument of pure versus military strategy. Brezhnev clearly only focused on the military might of Soviet russia, while Thatcher calculated the will Brezhnev had to beating the west and utilized this against him in a remarkably machiavellian manner. Thatcher essentially used the political system against itself because the economy is such an essential component of communism. Thatcher saw this opportunity and striked.