Death of George F. Kennan

Death of George F. Kennan Secretary Condoleezza Rice Tokyo, Japan March 19, 2005

It is with profound sorrow that I learned today of the passing of George F. Kennan. I knew him, and I admired him as one of the greatest strategists in the history of American foreign policy. He had a profound influence on me.

Ambassador Kennan had the vision to discern the underlying patterns of human affairs where others saw only disconnected shards. He believed passionately in the power of ideas, and that to be effective, policymakers must understand the tectonic forces of history moving beneath the surface of political events. Secretary of State George Marshall, who appointed Mr. Kennan the founding Director of the Office of Policy Planning, said he had a gift for "seeing around corners."

From his famous "Long Telegram" to his contributions to the Marshall Plan, Ambassador Kennan helped create the intellectual context within which America’s successful Cold War diplomacy operated for over half a century. His many books and memoirs, and his devotion to Russian and Soviet studies in the United States, made a lasting contribution to scholarship.

Ambassador Kennan’s legacy has been an inspiration to generations of men and women in the Department of State. So it will remain long into the future. I join my colleagues at the Department of State in honoring Ambassador Kennan’s service to the nation. We send our deepest condolences to Mrs. Annelise Kennan and the entire Kennan family.

2005/T4-13 Released on March 19, 2005