Memoirs

Summary

George F. Kennan, the diplomat and architect of the containment policy toward the Soviet Union, looks back on his early decades in the American foreign service. He recounts his postings in Europe, his reading of Russia, and the famous Long Telegram and X article that helped define Cold War strategy. Written with reflection and unease about the path his ideas later took, the memoir blends personal recollection with a scholar's grasp of diplomacy.