George Kennan (1904-2005) was an American advisor whose writings served President Truman and his administration. In his writings, "Sources of Soviet Conduct" and "America and the Russian Future," both published in Foreign Affairs, he shed insight into the thinking and motives behind the Soviet Union. His work was used to inform the president, as well as the American people, of Stalin's paranoia and why his nation was acting so erratic. His beliefs proved themselves exceptional, with history showing them to be very accurate and useful. George Kennan supported a patient but assertive containment policy involving the Soviet Union due to their constant desire to expand and conquer other lands.
[...] New leaders will recognize that their neighbors are not their enemies, resulting in better ways to go amongst their own agendas.[9] George Kennan's ideas on containment were different than many of his contemporaries. Rather than supporting a militant buildup and aggressive tactics to counteract the Soviet threat, he opposed policies like NSC 68. He believed that there is no political or ideological absolute in the arena of international affairs, reflecting his fluid and flexible plan. At a time where threats and aggression was omnipresent, it would be understandable for [...]
[...] Such policies must by executed with pressure and patience by the American leaders. This was best described through Kennan's own words: main thing is that there should always be pressure, unceasing constant pressure, toward the desired goal.”[4] He listed caution, circumspection, flexibility, and deception as key features in his plan to keeping the threat of the Soviet Union and Communism under control. He stressed flexibility on the American's part, saying how we had to be able to change our stance in conjunction with theirs. [...]
[...] of the Communist leaders, in both early and late Soviet history, adopted the mentality that any and all opposition to them and their ideas was not only foundationless, but betrayal and treason. Kennan stated that the that the Communist party targeted for many years was capitalism within the boundaries of the nation itself. However, with time came fewer and fewer capitalistic aspects within the Soviet Union. This was due to the very active stance the party took towards the destruction of any and all capitalistic characteristics. [...]
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