The phrase "evil empire" had been widely used in American culture of the 1970s (literature, cinema, music) to refer to the Roman Empire, the Third Reich and other "evil" nations. It got a new meaning after the famous speech by Ronald Reagan addressed to the National Association of Evangelicals in Florida.

Reagan called for a rollback military strategy, which was meant to put an end to the Soviet history. The President took an aggressive stance and wanted the US to match and exceed the Soviet military capabilities. Reagan's statements displeased Soviet leaders and represented the rhetorical side of the escalation of the Cold War.

After the speech "evil empire" became a political cliché . I chose this picture because it represents the term "empire" via Star Wars.

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