Heartland’s Tim Benson is joined by Frank Costigliola, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of History at the University of Connecticut, to discuss his new book, Kennan: A Life between Worlds. They chat about why George Kennan was one of the most important, and complex, figures in the history of American foreign policy, his diplomatic career in the Soviet Union, his rise to fame and preeminence, and his swift fall from power and influence. They also discuss how Kennan was impossible to classify and whether his diplomatic vision holds any lessons for today. 

Get the book here: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691165400/kennan

Show Notes:

Financial Times: Anatol Lieven – “Kennan: A Life Between Worlds — lessons for the containment of Russia”
https://www.ft.com/content/76231e54-063a-4366-acd1-cecd314c470e

First Things: Patrick Porter – “Cold War Contradictions”
https://www.firstthings.com/article/2023/04/cold-war-contradictions

Foreign Affairs: Fredrik Logevall – “The Ghosts of Kennan”
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/reviews/ghosts-george-kennan-lessons-cold-war

Foreign Policy: Michael Hirsh – “Is Cold War Inevitable?”
https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/01/23/cold-war-george-kennan-diplomacy-containment-united-states-china-soviet-union/

The New Republic: Patrick Iber – “George Kennan’s False Moves”
https://newrepublic.com/article/169557/george-kennans-false-moves

Times Literary Supplement: Harold James – “Kissing Stalin on the mouth”
https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/kennan-frank-costigliola-book-review-harold-james/

Washington Examiner: Damir Marusic – “The divided George Kennan”
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/the-divided-george-kennan