The Origins of the Cold War, c1945–1949: Developing Tensions - Kennan's Long Telegram Flashcards
1
Q
Who made the Long Telegram?
A
- George Kennan
- Low-ranking officer in the US embassy of Moscow
2
Q
When was the Long Telegram written?
A
- 22 February 1946
3
Q
What is a telegram?
A
- Long-distance transmission of textual messages that are meant to be concise
4
Q
Who was the Long Telegram sent to?
A
- Sent from the US embassy in Moscow to the US State Department in Washington
5
Q
What was the purpose of the Long Telegram?
A
- Kennan believed the East-West relations would inevitably collapse
- Kennan believed that the Soviet Union and communism posed a threat to the USA and the free world
- Kennan outlined policies Truman should take to oppose communist expansion
6
Q
Briefly describe why Kennan feared the USSR
A
- Saw USSR as an ideological threat
- Believed Stalin would undermine Western powers
- Saw USSR as a security threat
7
Q
Why did Kennan view the USSR as an ideological threat?
A
- Kennan believed it was in communist and Russian nature to impose its ideology on the rest of the world
- Believed USSR opposed Western democratic values
- ‘[It is] desirable and necessary for our traditional way of life to be destroyed.’
8
Q
Explain Kennan’s belief that the USSR would undermine Western powers
A
- Believed Stalin would demonise the West to legitimise the Stalinist regime
- Believed USSR would set Western powers against each other
- Believed USSR would weaken the power and influence the West had on its colonies
9
Q
How did Kennan think the US should respond to USSR foreign policy?
A
- Argued the US must be prepared to threaten the use of force
- Ensure unity among its allies
- To take a proactive role in Europe by containing communism
10
Q
How did the USSR respond to the Long Telegram?
A
- In September 1946 the Soviet ambassador in Washington, Nikolai Novikov
- Concluded that the USA’s foreign policy was based on economic imperialism
- It aimed to ensure that other states were dependent upon it to ensure the USA’s global supremacy
11
Q
What was the significance of the Long Telegram in terms of the US approach to foreign policy?
A
- Aligned with Truman’s views that the USSR were an ideological and security threat to the US
- The Long telegram marked another step in America’s shift from traditional isolationism in favour of taking a lead role in international affairs
- Became the basis of US foreign policy of containment
