George Kennan – 2^nd in command at American embassy in Moscow

Background information: You are a diplomat (spokesperson for the U.S. to another nation) and work in the American embassy in Moscow, are 44 years old, fluent in the Russian language and its affairs, and clearly anti-communist. You wrote a 12-page telegram in response to an urgent request by the State Department for an explanation of Soviet behavior that was published in Foreign Affairs in 1947 as The Sources of Soviet Conduct. It was incredibly widely circulated and read.

Mr. President,

As we face this crisis in Berlin, let me urge you to consider once again some fundamentals of the Soviet mindset. At the bottom of the Soviet’s unhealthy and paranoid view of world affairs is a traditional and instinctive Russian sense of insecurity. They see in the western/capitalist world only an inevitable time bomb, one they are convinced will be used against them. Consequently they will work tirelessly to strike first.

They have learned to seek security only in the patient but deadly struggle for total destruction of those who stand against them, never in agreements or compromises. Wherever it is considered possible, efforts will be made to advance their sphere of control, building a buffer zone around their homeland. In foreign countries Communists will, as a rule, work toward destruction of all forms of personal independence -- economic, political, or moral. Their system can handle only individuals who have been brought into complete dependence on the higher power of the Soviet Union.

I know this sounds quite pessimistic given our present circumstances, so let me offer some reasons for approaching calmly and with good heart the problem of how to deal with Russia. Soviet power, unlike that of Hitler’s Germany, does not work by fixed plans. It does not take unnecessary risks. Soviet power is highly sensitive to the logic of force and for this reason it can easily withdraw -- and usually does -- when strong resistance is encountered at any point. I need only reference their willingness to join Hitler’s non-aggression pact in less than a decade ago. They knew they could not match Hitler’s might and consequently withdrew behind a smokescreen of diplomacy. Thus, if their opponent has sufficient force and makes clear his readiness to use it, he rarely has to do so. Consequently, if situations are properly handled there need be no showdowns that cause either side to risk losing face or prestige.

Eastern Europe is, as Mr. Churchill so clearly stated, already behind an “iron curtain” of Soviet paranoia and insecurity. Now they are testing the resolve of the West in Berlin. We must resist; we must demonstrate our readiness by reacting immediately. I am not suggesting an immediate military confrontation, but rather a demonstration of the industrial might of the U.S. and her European allies that underpins our military capabilities. We must be willing to take the risk of finding a way to provide the basic necessities for the free people of West Berlin. Again, this is a risk, but one worth taking – one which I calculate will not create a military showdown. Freedom must be cherished and preserved. The time to act is now. In the face of a determined effort to save the free people of West Berlin, the Soviets will back down and end their blockade!

Sincerely,