[Kennan, George F., Vienna]. Memorandum.

Date
1935-08-08
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press
Abstract
Description
Enclosed with No. 542. Summarizes G. S. Messersmith's letter of Aug. 6 to William Phillips; in earlier period had little faith in collective security as means of combating National Socialism; might have been to advantage of U.S., England, and France to tolerate German expansion to East and allow conflict to develop which would exhaust both Germany and Russia and leave them powerless in world affairs; agrees now any projects, such as Danubian Pacts, which show a possibility of discouraging German aggression worth consideration; foolish to take cynical attitude toward treaties; even crudest dictatorships must give lip service to principles of honesty and decency and they have responsibility to public opinion if not to their own consciences; value of pacts may be modified by unresolved differences among powers negotiating them; doubts present German regime can endure for years, but not sure a reasonable one can be found to succeed it; danger in preoccupation with military menace of Germany and closing eyes to character and policies of other countries such as Italy and Russia, which are anything but worthy.
Keywords
Messersmith, George S. (George Strausser), 1883-1960.
Citation