George F. Kennan (diplomat)

George F. Kennan was an influential American diplomat and historian who played a key role in shaping U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War. He is best known for developing the strategy of "containment," which aimed to prevent the spread of communism by diplomatic, military, and economic measures. Kennan argued that the Soviet Union was inherently expansionist and that the United States should respond with a cautious, strategic approach to limit its influence. His ideas guided U.S. policies toward the USSR for decades and helped define the approach to managing Cold War tensions.