The Sources of Soviet Conduct

The article is an exerpt taken from the book Foreign Affairs by George "X" Kennan. Kennan states that the U.S. policy toward the Soviet Union must be long-term and patient. He says that the Russian leaders tend to exploit many evidences of weakness, and their expansive tendencies must be contained. Kennan goes on to say that the U.S. cannot expect to enjoy political "intimacy" with the Soviets any time in the future. America's policies are vastly different than the Soviet Union's, and therefore, they must continue to view the Union as a rival in the political field.

Truman and the Atomic Bomb

I feel that the decision made by Truman to drop the atomic bomb was the right one. Japan had several chances to surrender. They were given a clear warning that many more would lose their lives if they continued to refuse. Truman had other choices which would have caused far less harm, but they were far more time consuming and less effective. The dropping of the bomb can also be viewed as revenge for the surprise attacks at Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor was one of the main reasons that America got involved in the war in the first place. The atomic bomb was a very effective decision to putting an end to the war, and it sent out a message to not only Japan, but other countries as well, that America was still, and is still, the most powerful country in the world.