8.2: George F. Kennan: “Long Telegram” (1946)

A Guided Journey through Key Documents, 1865-present
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8.2 George F. Kennan: “Long Telegram” (1946)
Historical Context
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Abstract

George F. Kennan (1904-2005) was a diplomat with the U.S. Foreign Service. Kennan quickly realized that U.S.-Soviet relations would likely decline when World War II ended. He wrote the following telegram in 1946, expressing concerns over the dioerence in attitude and policies between the two countries. Kennan’s telegram included recommendations for dealing with these dioerences, and attempting to mitigate potential Soviet impact on the world, while avoiding direct confrontation. Eventually, the ideas he promoted became known as “containment policy.”

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