Source, in full
Cardinal Re: The motive of his entire pontificate was religious: all his efforts were aimed at bringing God back into this world; and he really succeeded in reawakening in the world the sense of God. Of course he was against communism, but the motive was not political, it was only religious. He came out against the Soviet regime because it was a system that professed atheism, persecuted the Church, as well as oppressing man by restricting his freedom. Of course the credit for the collapse of the empire is not only his. Reagan, Gorbachev with "perestroika", Solidarnosc and the economic crisis in the communist world also contributed to it.
Notes from Wikiquote
Interviewer: Can it be said that the Pope brought the forces of the free world together? | Cardinal Re: This is beyond doubt. But it must also be recognised that he was able to see further than others. When the foundations of Solidarnosc were laid in 1980, Lech Walesa with his first members went to Cardinal Wyszynski, primate of Poland. Wyszynski was a man of extraordinary political flair; yet he did not encourage them. According to him, it was a very nice project, but it would not have been successful, given the control the state had over everything, with the political police and secret services; if the trade union had not been suppressed by the Polish government, the Soviet tanks would have arrived, as in Budapest and Prague. Humanly speaking, he was right. But then Walesa turned to John Paul II, who encouraged him instead. He said that his ideas were right, and therefore would eventually prevail. Since then, Wyszynski also supported Solidarnosc, indeed it was he who suggested the name. | Intervistatore: Quale fu il ruolo di Wojtyla nella sconfitta del comunismo? | Cardinale Re: Il movente di tutto il suo pontificato è stato religioso: tutti i suoi sforzi miravano a far rientrare Dio da protagonista in questo mondo; ed è davvero riuscito a risvegliare nel mondo il senso di Dio. Certo era contro il comunismo, ma il motivo non era politico, era solo religioso. Si schierò contro il regime sovietico perché era un sistema che professava l’ateismo, perseguitava la Chiesa, oltre a opprimere l’uomo, limitando la sua libertà. Certo il merito del crollo dell’impero non è soltanto suo. Vi contribuirono anche Reagan, Gorbaciov con la “perestroika”, Solidarnosc e la crisi economica nel mondo comunista». | Intervistatore: Si può dire che il Papa abbia fatto sì che le forze del mondo libero si unissero? | Cardinale Re: Questo è fuori dubbio. Ma bisogna anche riconoscere che seppe vedere più lontano di altri. Quando nel 1980 furono gettate le basi di Solidarnosc, Lech Walesa con