Chapter 24

Quiz for Document 24-1: George Kennan, “Long Telegram” to James Byrnes (1946)

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Chapter 24a
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Question 1

In his long telegram to the Secretary of State in 1946, the American diplomat George Kennan writes, “Soviet power, unlike that of Hitlerite Germany, is neither schematic nor adventuristic. It does not work by fixed plans. It does not take unnecessary risks. Impervious to logic of reason, and it is highly sensitive to logic of force. For this reason it can easily withdraw—and usually does—when strong resistance is encountered at any point. . . . Thus, if the adversary has sufficient force and makes clear his readiness to use it, he rarely has to do so.” Kennan’s analysis became the basis for which of the following policies pursued by the Truman administration in the late 1940s?

Question 2

Kennan forcefully asserts his belief that the intentions of the Soviet Union toward the United States involve

Question 3

In order to combat world communism and weaken the Soviet Union, Kennan insists that U.S. domestic policy must focus on

Question 4

According to Kennan’s assessment of the nature of Soviet mentality, discouraging Soviet territorial expansion could best be accomplished by

Question 5

What, according to Kennan, is the diplomatic key to achieving and maintaining superiority of force against the Soviet Union?