Home / Authors / George F. Kennan

George F. Kennan

George F. Kennan Quotes

Diplomat

George F. Kennan was an American diplomat renowned for his profound understanding of Soviet policy and his influence on Cold War strategy. He served as the U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union and authored the famous 'Long Telegram,' which profoundly shaped American policy towards the Soviet Union.

Filter quotes by topic

All World Ifs People Policy Russia States United United States America Country Humans Immigration Knows Political Tendencies War Age Certain Ends Foreign Policy

Famous George F. Kennan Quotes

“The United States cannot reshape other countries in its own image and that, with a few exceptions, its efforts to police the world are neither in its interests nor within the scope of its resources. This whole tendency to see ourselves as the center of political enlightenment and as teachers to a great part of the rest of the world strikes me as unthought-through, vainglorious and undesirable.”

World Country States Whole America Political Interest United Effort United States Teacher Enlightenment Resources Police Strikes Tendencies Exception Other Countries Scope Undesirable

Author:George F. Kennan

“Instruments of coercion, once created, have a tendency to find their own natural masters.”

Natural Masters Instruments Tendencies Coercion

Book:Encounter with Kennan: The Great Debate

Source: Encounter with Kennan: The Great Debate

“It is clear that the main element of any United States policy toward the Soviet Union must be that of long-term, patient but firm and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies.”

“Above all, it behooves us to repress, and if possible to extinguish once and for all, our inveterate tendency to judge others by the extent to which they contrive to be like ourselves.”

Ifs Judging Relation Tendencies International Relations

Author:George F. Kennan

About the Author

Born: February 16, 1904
Died: March 17, 2005
Known for: Diplomat
Quotes: 47

Related Topics

World Ifs People Policy Russia States United United States America Country Humans Immigration Knows Political Tendencies War Age Certain Ends Foreign Policy

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

American Diplomacy: Sixtieth-Anniversary Expanded EditionRelated source material

MEMOIRS 1925-1950Related source material

Encounter with Kennan: The Great DebateRelated source material

The Kennan DiariesRelated source material

Similar Authors

Vladimir PutinBrowse related quotes
Zbigniew BrzezinskiBrowse related quotes
Noam ChomskyBrowse related quotes
Condoleezza RiceBrowse related quotes
Daniel FriedBrowse related quotes
Marco RubioBrowse related quotes
John F. KerryBrowse related quotes
Barack ObamaBrowse related quotes
Vladimir SorokinBrowse related quotes
Fareed ZakariaBrowse related quotes