Kennan Ivory Wayans

By late 1948, kennan became confident that the us could commence positive dialogue with the soviet government. His proposals were dismissed by the truman administration, and kennan's influence. Kennan was an american diplomat and historian best known for his successful advocacy of a “containment policy” to oppose soviet expansionism following world war ii.

Stay informed with the latest research, events, and policy insights from the kennan institute. Kennan also played a leading role in the development of definitive cold war programs and institutions, most notably the marshall plan. Kennan, a career foreign service officer, formulated the policy of “containment,” the basic united states strategy for fighting the cold war (1947–1989) with the soviet union.

Kennan, the subject of half a dozen biographies, is best known as the architect of america’s grand strategy of “containment” in the cold war against the soviet union. Kennan, past faculty in the institute's school of historical studies (1956–74), is the subject of a new biography written by past member (2009–10) and director's visitor. Even as kennan championed rational realism in foreign policy, his personal and professional lives were marked by turmoil.

Kennan played the key role in forging american policy in response to tito's break with stalin in 1948.