George kennan s long telegram february 1946 and churchills iron curtain speech march 1946 period 8, cold war 8, vietnam war midterm test 8. What kennan did, in his famous long telegram from moscow in february 1946 and through a briefly anonymous article in foreign affairs in 1947 was to lay out a third path between the extremes. Containment was first outlined in george kennan s long telegram sent from his position in the us embassy in moscow to the united states. George kennan sends long telegram to state department history. Foreign relations russia 1946 report american relations with the soviet union 1 of. Telegram the charge in the soviet union kennan to the secretary of state secret moscow, february 22, 19469 p. On february 22, 1946, kennanthen stationed at the u. Mar 11, 2008 the following reading is an excerpt from a document known as the long telegram. In his text, kennan outlined soviet belief and practice and proposed the policy of containment, making the telegram a key document in the history of the cold war. George kennans other long telegram about the far east. Kennan replied with an extraordinary 5,300word cable later dubbed the. George kennan had been a american diplomat on the soviet front, beginning his career as an observer of the aftermath of the russian civil war.
George kennan, the american charge daffaires in moscow, sends an 8,000word telegram to the department of state detailing his views on the soviet union, and u. George kennans long telegram national security archive. George frost kennan february 16, 1904 march 17, 2005 was an american diplomat and historian. X and published in foreign affairs magazine in july 1947. George kennan and containment short history department. Long telegram featuring document text, summary, and expert commentary. Today is the 70th anniversary of george kennans long telegram, one of the most influential documents of the 20th century. Dec 09, 2015 in considering how to do this, its instructive to look at the intellectual rootsand the resultsof the containment strategy as laid out by george kennan in 1946 in his long telegram. Kennan is perhaps best known as the author of the long telegram, dispatched in 1946 to secretary of state james byrnes, which proposed a new approach to u. X article on soviet union appears in foreign affairs. Later that year he returned to the united states, and in 1947 he was named director of the state departments policyplanning staff. A telegram from george kennan advising the truman administration to take on a. The telegram was prompted by us inquiries about soviet behavior, especially with regards to their refusal.
George kennan s long telegram and churchills iron curtain speech episode 5 duration. In the late 1940s, george kennan wrote two documents, the long telegram and the x article, which set forward the strategy of containment that would define us policy toward the soviet union for the next four decades. In sum, after world war ii, americansoviet relations were in jumbles, and key to the creation of a lasting american strategy was george kennans long telegram. On the receiving end was george kennan, a career foreign service officer who had risen to be the secondranking american official in moscow. Soviet relations, joined the faculty of the school of historical studies in 1956. His theory of containment was practiced by numerous presidents, and appears most eminently in president harry truman and richard nixons foreign policy. The 70th anniversary of george kennans long telegram the. Kennan, a career foreign service officer, formulated the policy of containment, the basic united states strategy for fighting the cold war 19471989 with the soviet union. And the difference, in practical terms, is that mr.
Woodrow wilson school of public and international affairs 4,508 views 1. February 1946 george f kennan leading expert on russian history and affairs. Because of his analysis upon his observations of soviet affairs, kennan judged that the soviet union was focused on. Kennans ideas, which became the basis of the truman administrations foreign policy, first came to public attention in 1947 in the form of an. I was, in a way, astonished, the oxford philosopher isaiah berlin, who first met kennan in stalins moscow in 1945, would recall. The long telegram was sent by george kennan from the united states embassy in moscow to washington, where it was received on february 22nd, 1946. Apr, 2012 the long telegram was perhaps the most cited and most influential statement of the early years of the cold war. The name long derives from the telegram s 8000 word length. George kennans argument in the long telegram was that essay.
Kennan cablegram, known as the long telegram, that enunciated the containment policy. They received back an 8,000word telegram from george kennan, an embassy official. The long period of intense rivalry between the soviet union and the united. The long telegram was perhaps the most cited and most influential statement of the early years of the cold war. He was best known as an advocate of a policy of containment of soviet. George kennan, writing under the pseudonym x, stated that since the soviet union had been greatly weakened during. Historical perspective posted by nicole smith, dec 7, 2011 north america comments closed print george frost kennan, now recognized in history as the father of containment served in several capacities in the united states government, but was most influential in his role as the ambassador to the soviet union in moscow in. This achievement alone would qualify him as the most influential american diplomat of the cold war era. Many primary documents relate to multiple themes in american history and government and are curated by different.
Kennan, in full george frost kennan, born february 16, 1904, milwaukee, wisconsin, u. On february 22, 1946, diplomat george kennan responded with what came to be known as the long telegram, a 5,540word cable message explaining his. Washington shouldnt have been surprised to hear stalin say so. Yes, he said, american capitalism and soviet communism were incompatible systems. Historical significance the long telegram was sent by george kennan from the united states embassy in moscow to washington, where it was received on february 22nd 1946. Kennan sent to his state department superiors from moscow on february 22, 1946 did just that. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Apr 03, 2010 long telegram and the novikov telegram the single document that best illustrated american anticommunism and general suspicion of soviet aspirations was george kennan s famous long telegram of 1946. The telegram was prompted by us inquiries about soviet behavior, especially with regards to their refusal to join the newly created world bank and international monetary fund. Jul 27, 2019 in february 1946, kennan, then serving as the u. He lectured widely and wrote scholarly histories of the relations between the ussr and the united states.
The x article took the information presented in the two prior reports and constructed a road map for the cold war. A secret report from the us ambassador in moscow sent to us president. This quiz and worksheet combination will ask questions about this policy and. George kennan s long telegram february 1946 and churchills iron curtain speech march 1946 period 8. One man who had first hand knowledge was a foreign service officer, george f. In 1946, while he was charge daffaires in moscow, kennan sent an 8,000word telegram to the departmentthe nowfamous long telegramon the aggressive nature of stalins foreign policy. George frost kennan, an expert on the diplomatic history of russia, the soviet union, and u. George kennan s long telegram february 1946 and churchills iron curtain speech march 1946 hendrix.
George kennan, the american charge daffaires in moscow, sends an 8,000word telegram to the department of state detailing his views on the soviet union, and. Kennan led the campaign for containment in an attempt to stop the spread of communism. Kennan was an american diplomat on the soviet front, beginning his career as an observer of the aftermath of the russian civil war. After reading this excerpt answer the following questions. Oct 15, 2007 i would venture to say that there isnt a single senior policy advisor in the bush administration who really understands the long view that george kennan so clearly outlined for mr. George kennan, foreign diplomat to soviet union, outlined the soviet mindset and suggested a policy of containment to the secretary of state and president truman. He was best known as an advocate of a policy of containment of soviet expansion during the cold war. George kennan in 1946, stated in the long telegram that the soviets view of the world came from a traditional. Kennan is an interesting case for historians who changed history, because he changed history in a very different way.
Telegram, george kennan to james byrnes long telegram, february 22, 1946. Nov, 2014 in february 1946, officials in washington asked the u. How to apply george kennans cold war containment strategy. Nov, 2009 george kennan, the american charge daffaires in moscow, sends an 8,000word telegram to the department of state detailing his views on the soviet union, and u. The long telegram said that the ussr saw the west as. Long telegram and the novikov telegram the single document that best illustrated american anticommunism and general suspicion of soviet aspirations was george kennan s famous long telegram of 1946. Hopes in the united states were high during the winter of 194546. If large scale long term credits should be forthcoming, i believe soviet government may. When he authored the long telegram in 1946, he had been abroad for 18 out of 19 years, and had just turned 42.
The x article, formally titled the sources of soviet conduct, was an article written by george f. The name long derives from the telegram s 8000word length. Kennan, who was the deputy chief of mission of the united. Kennan is one of americas most storied titans of cold war strategy and diplomacy in the 20th century, having played an almost unimaginably large role in writing policy on containing the soviet union and reconstructing europe and japan in the years following world war ii. In response to the state departments request, kennan, on february 22, 1946, submitted an 8,000word long telegram in which he presented the rationale for what would become the policy of.
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