<description>&lt;p&gt;Misgivings over Gorbachev's liberalisation proposals as observers fear further splits from satellite nations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Soviet leader addresses UN as first cracks widen in the Eastern bloc.

Misgivings over Gorbachev's liberalisation proposals as observers fear further splits from satellite nations.This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

Gorbachev's perilous experiment

<description>&lt;p&gt;Yasser Arafat's speech at the UN, the denial of his visa by US secretary of state George Schultz, and the view that Palestinians are moving towards reconciliation with Israel.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

A milestone in Middle Eastern politics as Yasser Arafat is invited to speak at the UN.

Yasser Arafat's speech at the UN, the denial of his visa by US secretary of state George Schultz, and the view that Palestinians are moving towards reconciliation with Israel.

Yasser Arafat's speech at the UN, 1988

<description>&lt;p&gt;The economy will be the first challenge facing the new president when his term starts in January.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Greenspan warns that Bush will face economic woe.

The economy will be the first challenge facing the new president when his term starts in January.This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

Fears over US deficit

<description>&lt;p&gt;Slander and innuendo are nothing new in campaigning - but the rhetoric will soon be erased.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Commentators agree the campaign was the dirtiest 'in living memory'.

Slander and innuendo are nothing new in campaigning - but the rhetoric will soon be erased.This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

A dirty campaign

<description>&lt;p&gt;An overview of the ballot paper in the 1988 presidential elections, George Bush's "inevitable" victory, and the issues that proved most important for voting Americans.We apologize for the abrupt end to this audio, this occurred when the episode was originally recorded for the archive.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

George Bush's victory in the 1988 election, and the complexity of a modern ballot paper.

An overview of the ballot paper in the 1988 presidential elections, George Bush's "inevitable" victory, and the issues that proved most important for voting Americans.We apologize for the abrupt end to this audio, this occurred when the episode was originally recorded for the archive.

The 1988  presidential election

Ronald Reagan’s presidency, from Reagonomics and the invasion of Grenada in his first term, to the Iran-contra scandal and reconciliation with Soviet leader Mihail Gorbachev in his second. A fascinating social, cultural and political history of American life, through the words of British-American journalist and broadcaster, Alistair Cooke (1908 – 2004).

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The Reagan Years (1981-1988)

Details

Recent Episodes