Why did George F. Kennan believe that containment was the best response to Soviet expansion?

Question

Why did George F. Kennan believe that containment was the best response to Soviet expansion?

Kennan believed that the Soviet Union would not risk war to expand communism.

Kennan believed that there was no need to commit U.S. economic and political power.

Kennan believed that there was a quick and easy solution to the Soviet threat.

Answer 1

George F. Kennan believed that containment was the best response to Soviet expansion because he thought that the Soviet Union was inherently expansionist and opportunistic, but also cautious and unwilling to risk war with the United States. He believed that by containing the influence of the Soviet Union through strong policies and strategic alliances, the U.S. could gradually weaken the communist system without resorting to direct military confrontation. This approach would involve the commitment of U.S. economic and political power to support and strengthen non-communist nations, and deter Soviet aggression, rather than seeking a quick and easy solution to the Soviet threat. Kennan's policy of containment was aimed at a long-term strategy that would ultimately lead to the collapse or reform of the Soviet system from within.