George Kennan: 1904-2005

George Kennan is dead at 101.

When I was fifteen or sixteen years old, I was still devouring World War II history more than anything else. I came across a reference in American Heritage to "the Long Telegram" and "the X Article." I could probably date my interest in (or at least my familiarity with) international relations to that moment.

A couple of years later, in my first university-level history class, I wrote a paper on Kennan's version of containment, arguing (as I recall) that the Vietnam intervention was inconsistent with Kennan's approach.

I don't make heroes out of many people these days. But I would not entirely mind being not entirely unlike George Kennan.

| Posted by Wilson at 1:06 Central | TrackBack
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