The Cold War’s Friendliest Quarrel

On September 15, Nicholas Thompson
discussed his new book The Hawk and the
Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and the History of the Cold War. Covering
the remarkable rivalry and friendship bonding two of the nation’s foremost
foreign policy thinkers, Paul Nitze and George Kennan, the event was moderated
by Andrés
Martinez, Director of Bernard L. Schwartz Fellows Program.

Mr. Thompson, editor at Wired magazine and Paul Nitze’s grandson, described the challenge
of writing the book from a historical perspective while acknowledging his
personal connection to the project-a connection that allowed him unique access
to interviews and new documents like Kennan’s personal diary. Mr. Thompson
discussed the characters and careers of Nitze and Kennan, both of whom came to
power during World War II, reached their professional peaks during the Cold
War’s most frightening moments, and fought epic political battles that spanned
decades. Nitze–the hawk–was a consummate insider who believed that the best
way to avoid a nuclear clash was to prepare to win one. More than any other
American, he was responsible for the arms race. Kennan–the dove–was a
diplomat turned academic who authored what was arguably history’s most
influential telegram purposing the strategy of containment.

Mr. Thompson also touched on several points of special interest, including
Kennan’s talent as a writer and his correspondence with Stalin’s daughter, Kennan’s
fiercely conservative views on some social issues, and Nitze’s talent as a
bureaucratic infighter. Kennan’s tragic flaw, Mr. Thompson said, was his
incapacity to accept an ethnically diverse vision of America; Nitze’s great blunder was
his failure to grasp the implications of a nuclear arms race. While writing the
interknit biographies of both men, however, Mr. Thompson said, it was
impossible not to marvel at their incredible minds.

Participants
Featured
Speaker
Nicholas
Thompson
Author, The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and
the History of the Cold War
Senior Editor, Wired Magazine
Fellow,
New America Foundation

Moderator

Andrés Martinez
Director, Bernard
L. Schwartz Fellows Program
New America
Foundation