“We Win, They Lose”: We Need an NSDD 75 for the Cold Civil War

The assassination of Charlie Kirk made absolutely clear what was already becoming obvious to those who understand the evils of leftist ideology: we are in the midst of a cold civil war for the soul of Western civilization. Attempts by conservatives, or those generally considered on the “Right” of American politics, have—for generations—consistently failed to stop the relentless drive of the Left to eradicate every traditional pillar necessary for a good and flourishing society. The liberal belief that a political and cultural system rooted in open dialogue between opposing viewpoints would always lead to the victory of truth and the implementation of sound policy is no longer credible. In fact, it was always a mistaken belief, as the Left has never been interested in compromise unless it advanced their interests, and they did not hesitate to turn violent if it aided their cause.

The success of leftism in America is causing many people of good will to ask the question: “Where do we go from here?” Conservatives, particularly conservative Catholics, are increasingly realizing that the old status quo of liberal society no longer exists, but they are rightly hesitant to respond in a way that they think will lead to the outbreak of an actual civil war. What we need is a strategy that guides us in how we should operate in such a precarious moment in our country’s history—where further capitulation is impossible yet violent confrontation could also turn disastrous. Luckily, we have a historical example we can turn to to help us construct a strategic framework that can lead us to victory: National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 75.

We Win, They Lose

When asked about his policy regarding the Soviet Union prior to his election to the presidency, Ronald Reagan said that his policy was simple: “We win, they lose.” Following World War II and the beginning of the Cold War, the U.S. foreign policy strategy was broadly characterized by an effort to contain Soviet expansion, as formulated by George F. Kennan in his famous “X” article in Foreign Affairs magazine in 1947. However, over the ensuing decades, the U.S. policy of containment had failed to stem the expansion of the Soviet empire and its influence around the world. 

There had been many futile and naïve attempts by the United States to find common ground and peaceful resolutions with the Soviets, often by capitulating in the hopes of generating good will. At the time Reagan uttered his now-famous phrase in the late 1970s, the United States and the U.S.S.R. were in a period of détente—a period of decreased tensions characterized by increased diplomatic dialogue. The Soviets took advantage of this period to further develop their military, to use diplomacy and subversion to gain edges against the United States, and to continue supporting communist forces in the Third World. Yet, the Soviets were not interested in peace, as they were convinced that they could defeat the West and its ideology.

The turning point came when Ronald Reagan took office in 1981. For two years, Reagan and his national security advisors worked to put his doctrine of “we win, they lose” into an actual strategy. The result was NSDD 75 on “U.S. Relations with the U.S.S.R.”—a short 10-page policy directive outlining how the United States would not just contain Soviet expansion but reverse it completely until a U.S. victory was achieved.

NSDD 75 outlined that it would consist of “three elements: external resistance to Soviet imperialism; internal pressure on the U.S.S.R. to weaken the sources of Soviet imperialism; and negotiations to eliminate, on the basis of strict reciprocity, outstanding disagreements.” It further stipulated that the United States must “clearly convey to Moscow that unacceptable behavior will incur costs that would outweigh any gains,” as well as that good behavior would result in benefits for the U.S.S.R.—as long as such benefits did not further strengthen the Soviets in a way that threatened U.S. interests. 

The document described in a clear and concise manner how the United States would implement this strategy with all the tools of statecraft at its disposal—such as military strategy, economic policy, diplomacy, and political action (including propaganda)—without resorting to open warfare, and that the United States would work with allies around the world where beneficial. The document also made it clear that the strategy of rollback would need to be implemented for a long time before it could be expected to see results. However, as we all know now, it would only take less than a decade for the United States to ultimately achieve a result that only a few years before seemed impossible: the collapse of the Soviet Empire.

NSDD 75 for the Cold Civil War?

NSDD 75 is a model for emulation today for conservative Catholic leaders in the Cold Civil War not for its actual recommendations, which deal purely with national security and focus on a foreign adversary, but rather for its spirit, form, and analogous circumstances. Today, we face a similar adversary to the Soviet Union—but within our own country. As in the 1970s when the United States had seen decades of Soviet aggression despite attempts at coexistence and dialogue, today we can look back at decades of failure in stopping the expansion of leftist ideology, its infection of our institutions, and its malevolent use of political power in an open liberal society. Rolling back leftist corruption of our country seems to be an impossible task today, just as it seemed improbable that one of the world’s greatest evil empires could be defeated without war. 

Nevertheless, conservative Catholic leaders have an opportunity today to give to the American people a strategy not of compromise and survival but of victory. These leaders must come together to formulate a strategy that is clear and concise yet can also guide and inspire conservatives in all corners of American society to roll back the malevolent influence of leftist ideology in our politics and culture—without resorting to open violence. Catholics in politics, corporate America, nonprofit organizations, the media, entertainment, law firms, education, and all other institutions where they can be found must know what they can do to ensure that we win and the Left loses. Every tool at our disposal must be directed toward the eradication of leftist ideology and its offshoots from society.

Given the nature of our fractured society and political coalition, the success of the strategy will also require working with allies who may not be fully aligned on important values and interests, just as NSDD 75 recognized in the geopolitical context of its time. NSDD 75 made it clear that the United States would work with allies and partners, including unsavory ones, but only to the extent that the United States would not sacrifice its values and interests. Likewise, Catholics must work with those with whom we have mutual interests, but we should surrender nothing to such partners beyond what is required to achieve a concrete goal. A new NSDD 75 for the Cold Civil War could provide guidelines for Catholics to determine how to work with partners according to these principles.

The new strategy for the Cold Civil War should also be focused not just on providing sticks but carrots as well. Those to the left of center in American politics and in the Catholic Church who participate in restricting the behavior and curbing the influence of leftism in society should be welcomed and rewarded. Great effort should still be spent in arguing for the benefits of a restoration of traditional Catholic values in the hopes of converting those of good will on the other side—who are often as much victims of leftist ideological imperialism as everyone else. However, we should no longer cede any ground to those who are preaching progressive values—these should be efforts to teach and not to make compromises.

A Winning Mindset

NSDD 75 was essentially a mindset shift in U.S. foreign policy supported with some broad yet concrete directives. It gave the entire U.S. government apparatus the permission and tools to pursue victory against the Soviet Union. This is essentially what needs to be given by the Catholic leaders, particularly those in positions of influence in the Trump Administration and broader MAGA movement, to the rest of conservative, patriotic America. There have been positive steps in this regard in government, particularly following Trump’s election, but this NSDD 75 for the Cold Civil War must offer a whole-of-society approach that goes beyond the strict confines of government policymaking.

Conservative Catholic leaders who know what time it is and understand that something needs to be done would be wise to formulate a strategy for effective action to guide other like-minded Catholics and well-meaning conservatives. NSDD 75 was a special document in U.S. history, due to both its unique content and outsized impact. There is a lot that we can learn by studying the process of its creation and its implementation. 

Whether conservative Catholic leaders actually come together to produce such a strategy document or not, we are in dire need of direction. Catholics need to be guided in how to fight and win this new cold war wherever they find themselves facing the adversary. We need the mindset to change from feelings of frustration and powerlessness to confidence in a strategy for success. We need a new strategy for “We Win, They Lose.”