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The Long Telegram

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description The Long Telegram Overview

"The Long Telegram" was a diplomatic cable sent by George F. Kennan from the United States Embassy in Moscow in February 1946. Addressed to the US State Department, the telegram outlined Kennan's assessment of Soviet intentions and ideology, arguing that the USSR was inherently expansionist. It proposed that the United States adopt a strategy of long-term containment to counter Soviet influence.

The document became foundational to American Cold War foreign policy and is studied in diplomatic history.

help The Long Telegram FAQ

Who authored The Long Telegram and from where was it sent?

The dispatch was written by George F. Kennan, who was serving as a diplomat at the American Embassy in Moscow. It was sent back to the US State Department in 1946.

What primary foreign policy strategy did The Long Telegram inspire?

George F. Kennan's 1946 dispatch provided the intellectual foundation for the US strategy of "containment" toward the Soviet Union. This approach heavily influenced American actions throughout the Cold War.

Did George F. Kennan publish The Long Telegram under his own name?

While originally sent as a classified cable in 1946, Kennan later published a modified version under the pseudonym "X" in the journal Foreign Affairs. This 1947 article, titled "The Sources of Soviet Conduct," expanded on his containment theory.

Why was Kennan's 1946 telegram considered so important to the Cold War?

It gave Washington a clear, analytical framework for understanding Soviet behavior after World War II, framing the USSR as inherently expansionist. This 1946 document effectively shifted US policy toward a prolonged Cold War posture.

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