A pope and a US president broke the back of communism

“In June 1979, Pope John Paul II embarked on a nine-day pilgrimage to Poland that transformed Eastern Europe – and the world. In a momentous homily delivered from Victory Square in Warsaw, he declared “it is not possible to understand the history of the Polish nation without Christ,” reminding the millions suffering under communist rule of their country’s rich history, the dignity of human life, and their natural, God-given rights.

Much like John Paul II, President Ronald Reagan did not hesitate to confront the “evil empire” of the Soviet Union and the horrors of communism, casting aside the conciliar approaches of past administrations in favor of a foreign policy that refused to compromise on American ideals.

Forty years after Pope John Paul II’s pilgrimage, the latest episode of the “Newt’s World” podcast, “Pope John Paul II, President Reagan and the Fall of Communism,” discusses both these great men and their role in defeating communism. I am joined by John O’Sullivan, a former adviser to Margaret Thatcher and the author of “The President, the Pope, and the Prime Minister.”‘