Telegrams

• The Long Telegram


  This telegram was sent by the US ambassador to the Soviet Union: George Kennan on the 22 February 1946, from Moscow to Washington.

  • Most telegrams short, his was more like a letter hence it is labelled the 'long' telegram.

  It reported that Stalin wanted to see the destruction of capitalism and that the world outside of the Soviet Union wanted to destroy communism (in his opinion)

  Kennan felt that if the SU faced resistance, they would back down.

  • 'containment' policy should be put in place to stop communism spreading
• The Novikov Telegram


  This telegram was sent by the Soviet ambassador to the USA: Nikolai Novikov on the 27 September 1946, from Washington to Moscow.

  • Stated that the USA wanted to use military 'might' to dominate the world.
  • That since the death of Roosevelt, the USA no longer wanted to cooperate with the Soviet Union.

  Novikov felt that the Soviet government policy of protecting themselves with Western 'buffer' countries was vital to develop as much security as possible.