The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and the History of the Cold War

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The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and the History of the Cold War

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 161 ratings · 38 reviews

A brilliant and revealing biography of the two most important Americans during the Cold War era—written by the grandson of one of them

Only two Americans held positions of great influence throughout the Cold War; ironically, they were the chief advocates for the opposing strategies for winning—and surviving—that harrowing conflict. Both men came to power during World War II...more

Hardcover, 416 pages

Published September 15th 2009 by Henry Holt and Co.

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Feb 07, 2013 Steve aka Sckenda rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Those Interested in the Cold War and Strategy

Shelves: history-united-states, diplomacy, cold-war, soviet-union

Thompson gives an accessible overview of the Cold War through the parallel lives of George Kennan and Paul Nitze, who were close friends, despite their different approaches to strategy. Although not well known to the general public, they were influential Americans, familiar to serious students of the Cold War. I had trouble trying to organize this review, so I decided to experiment by summarizing each Chapter of “The Hawk and the Dove.” If you find my review too dense, you might want to just rea...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Marks54 rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this book leading up to Thanksgiving of 2009. My car was being repaired and I got to spend lots of time with the book. This is a dual biography, tracing the lives and careers of George Kennan and Paul Nitze. These two men were arguable two of the leading intellectual lights of the US Defense establishment but were on opposite ends of the intellectual spectrum, with Nitze being the more militaristic and conservative (the Hawk) and Kennan being the wise State Department old head who was rea...more

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Dec 09, 2010 Greg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Beginning with "The Long Telegram" sent by George Kennan from Moscow in 1946 "The Hawk and The Dove" traces the duel and dueling careers of Paul Nitze and George Kennan. The book is not a complete history of the Cold War, but it does provide some wonderful insights from two of the periods most thoughtful contributors. Nitze, the hawk, argued through most of his career that the United States must pursue arms and stand toe to toe with the Soviets to avoid destruction. Kennan was thoroughly convinc...more

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Sep 21, 2010 Danny Shelton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Thompson sets out to find the frame for the cold war, and find it he does. Both Nitze and Kennan devoted their lives and ideologies to the preservation of America against the expansionist policies of the Soviet Union. Kennan, the dove, was rather warlike for a dove, expunging policies of covert operations and espionage world wide to keep Communism in check, and Nitze, the hawk, knew all to well the terrors of nuclear warfare because he was one of the primary researchers at Hiroshima and Nagasaki...more

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Feb 13, 2010 Erik Simon rated it 4 of 5 stars

One really does wonder how we haven't managed to blow ourselves up.

Paul Nitze, one of the integral figures to the Cold War, once heard that the Russian word for peace, mir, was the same word for world, and from that point on, he was convinced that the Russians were hell bent on world domination because when they asked for peace, they were really asking for the world. Thus, his entire attitude during the Cold War was that Russia wanted to run everything and would pursue that policy to the end. G...more One really does wonder how we haven't managed to blow ourselves up.

Paul Nitze, one of the integral figures to the Cold War, once heard that the Russian word for peace, mir, was the same word for world, and from that point on, he was convinced that the Russians were hell bent on world domination because when they asked for peace, they were really asking for the world. Thus, his entire attitude during the Cold War was that Russia wanted to run everything and would pursue that policy to the end. George Kennan, who knew the Russians as well as anyone, thought such thinking folly, and dangerous folly. He had the radical idea that the Russians were also human beings (go figure) and that they were as uninterested in nuclear Armageddon as we were. Turns out Kennan was right, but guess which of these two had a more pivotal role in Cold War negotiations and tactics and which one didn't? It is fucking amazing that we haven't all blown ourselves up, and not out of maliciousness but out of sheer ineptitude.

Remember a couple of years ago when we learned that an air force pilot, quite by accident, flew a nuclear missile across the country? Somehow, he ended up with one of those darned things on the plane. Can we please get rid of all nukes? Please? I'm not asking for anything that George Schultz and Henry Kissinger aren't asking for now. Hell, I'm not asking for anything that Nitze wasn't asking for at the end. Please? To be honest, I really am more frightened by our own arsenal of these things than by the idea that Iran might have one or two of them in the next five or so years.

By the way, this was a terrific book for those interested in the Cold War. Thompson, who happens to be Nitze's grandson, pulled no punches and gave a frank appraisal of both of these giants, neither of whom comes off looking close to unblemished. (Kennan, for all of his right instincts on the Cold War, was a fierce anti-Semite and racist. Nitze became the godfather of the neo-cons, hardly a plus on anyone's resume, given that the neo-cons have yet to be right about anything.) It was a unique and intelligent approach to discussing the Cold War, and he pulled it off wonderfully.(less)

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Feb 11, 2010 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Hawk and the Dove was a subject that interested me--the Cold War and George Kennan whom I always liked. I had negative view of Paul Nitze and looked forward to the contrast between him and Kennan.

The book was much more complex than the title would suggest. It's an excellent history. Because Baker is Nitze's grandson, he had access to papers who one else had seen. Some from family sources. Then, at the end of the book, Baker recounts going to visit the school Nitze founded (Paul H Nitze Scho...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Jerome rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book has the strength of its limitations; it is biography, not history. It presents history as seen and experienced by Kennan and Nitze. It conveys their personalities, roles, judgments and impacts on the complex and world-threatening era we call the Cold War. The author does this with a clear narrative thread and communicates the person without psychodrama and hagiography. Sensibly, this narrative addresses the history as his dualistic pair saw and experienced it. Accordingly, it omits many...more The book has the strength of its limitations; it is biography, not history. It presents history as seen and experienced by Kennan and Nitze. It conveys their personalities, roles, judgments and impacts on the complex and world-threatening era we call the Cold War. The author does this with a clear narrative thread and communicates the person without psychodrama and hagiography. Sensibly, this narrative addresses the history as his dualistic pair saw and experienced it. Accordingly, it omits many aspects of the context of that experience. The Cuban Bay of Pigs gets just a paragraph or so. Many background events and leading figures are left out of the story or treated cursorily. Examples are the role of Adeneuer, "Der Alte", in so many ways central to the rehabilitation of German society and economics, the Suez Canal debacle of 1956, the Nuclear Disarmament campaigns that solidified the left across Europe, and the often bizarre policies of Foster Dulles in insisting a nation was either for us or against us and India's role in leading the nonaligned movement.

The book's main purpose is to tell the story of the Cold War by using the interactions and tensions between Nitze and Kennan to bring much of American Cold War policies to life. Much of these discussions are intellectual, but Thompson makes it very readable..George Kennan and Paul Nitze were two of the most emblematic figures of the Cold War. By any measure their contributions to American government were enormous. Kennan is one of the most fascinating personalities from the last half of the 20th century. He is generally considered to have had a deeper understanding of the Soviet Union than any other individual and, as Nicholas Thompson so ably explains, anticipated many of the major developments in the last decades of the past century. He prophesied in the 1940s with uncanny accuracy the eventual fate of the Soviet Union, explaining both how and why the system would eventually implode and collapse. He was one of the major architects of the Marshall Plan, one of the greatest achievements in the history of American foreign policy. And he was the author of the famous Long Telegram, which evinced an understanding of the Soviet Union. His theory of containment dominated nearly all American policy during the Cold War, even if he complained that the ways that "containment" were construed varied from his own understanding. His insight into world affairs was unsurpassed by any other foreign policy expert of the century and he had no rival in articulating his understanding. Kennan was, by any standard, a great writer. At several points in the course of his public career Kennan was able to provide a way of viewing a group of issues so as to alter public comprehension. Yet, Kennan was also something of a crank. Though he was celebrated as a hero by the Left, he held a number of not merely conservative but reactionary view. He was personally extremely conservative, especially on cultural matters. He disliked men with long hair and didn't care for social change. I suspect he hated the Beatles. Many of his beliefs -- such as the desirability of the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain unifying under a capital to be located in Canada -- were downright weird. He was often a crank. He described himself as an 18th century man and certainly he had many of the oddities of a Gibbon (whom he loved) or Samuel Johnson. I find Kennan fascinating for being so brilliant at one moment and so bizarre the next.

Nitze, who is the grandfather of the author of the book (at no point did I sense that Thompson was being kinder to his grandfather or less fair to Kennan than he ought), is a far less interesting character than Kennan. He lacked Kennan's enormous prescience and insight, and while a competent writer was not touched by genius as was Kennan. One is struck, however, by Nitze's drive and dedication and his enormous practical abilities. Nitze's two greatest contributions were on the one hand advocating the huge arms build up that occurred in the fifties and sixties and one the other hand his work on disarmament in the seventies and eighties. I find it fascinating that while Kennan was adored by the Left and Nitze by some on the Right, Kennan held many conservative beliefs and Nitze many liberal ones. The truth is that neither fit comfortably into simple characterizations of conservative or liberal. Frankly, I find both of them more interesting for being less than predictable.

The joint biography does a splendid job of recounting most of the central foreign policy crises that occurred during the period. You get a great sense of the various personalities involved, from James Forrestal to George Marshall to Dean Acheson to Henry Kissinger to George Schulz to all the presidents of those years, as well as the major leaders of other countries, in particular the Soviet Union.

The book also undercuts the current ahistorical claims about the role of Ronald Reagan in ending the Cold War. This is true of any actual historical accounts of the period. Reagan's greatest role in the Cold War was in his considerable accomplishments in arms control. This may, in fact, have been the great achievement of his presidency. The book demonstrated Reagan's extremely superficial understanding of the issues surrounding nuclear weapons (while Nitze liked Reagan, he considered him incompetent on nuclear issues and had nothing but utter disdain for his Star Wars initiative). As Thompson chronicles, the Soviet Union, as Kennan had predicted, was already suffering enormously from the strain of the arms race well before Reagan was president. In 1972 Brezhnev yearned for the completion of the SALT I agreement to help ease the great strain on the Soviet economy created by the arms race. The standard argument by Reagan's fans was that he caused an escalation in the arms race, but in fact the Soviets did not increase military spending during Reagan's presidency. The strain on their economy definitely preceded Reagan. And the reason that Reagan's fans hate Kennan so much is that his work as architect of the strategy for winning the Cold War lessens Reagan's role. Kennan's strategy of containment was embraced by every American president from Truman to Bush 41, with no exceptions, and it had precisely the effect Kennan predicted. He insisted that if we resisted the Soviet Union and limited its spread by his policy of containment (though his understanding was political containment, rather than the military containment that Nitze preferred), it would collapse upon itself, which is precisely what happened. Fans of Reagan, so desperate for political reasons to give him a legacy that he does not deserve (while refusing to grant him the legacy that he does deserve, as someone who worked hard for disarmament, with some success), don't like Kennan because he undercuts the script that they have concocted for him. They are not helped by the fact that virtually no historians outside of the United States (and even then virtually no historians who are not conservative Republicans) view Reagan as having played an especially role in bringing about the end of the Cold War. Unlike George Kennan, whom they do.

Kennan was an odd sort of duck, highly intelligent, lonely, often feeling touchy or spurned or ill-used, who moved from the famous Long Telegram and X article in Foreign Affairs, where he came across as what at that time would have been something of a hawk, to become an advocate of a far more dovish policy towards the Soviets, pushing for a diplomatic engagement rather than a military one. He lived to be 101 years old, long enough to consider his point of view vindicated. Less well known today are his less popular ideas - without question he was something of an authoritarian, feeling democracy as a government model an inefficient way to fight the world struggle; his writings leave a trail of anti-Semitism and racism at times. Kennan increasingly found himself to be out of a government job, though called upon from time to time by various administrations and the press as an expert until his death.

Nitze was different temperamentally as well as politically. Beginning from his experiences in studying the WWII strategic bombing campaigns against Nazi Germany and then Japan, including the results of the US use of nuclear weapons, he become likely the most well-informed (not to say opinionated) government non-scientist official regarding nuclear strategy, policy, and subsequently arms control detail. While generally speaking considered to be an ultra-hawk, there are instances of compromise or reasoned anti-war opinion (particularly regarding Vietnam). His impact on policy from a governmental position was far larger and apparently more influential than that of Kennan; he remained involved in the SALT and START talks right up until the collapse of the Soviet Union, by which time he was in his 80s, and when he died at 97, he also could consider himself and his opinions on how to handle the Cold War vindicated.

In all, an excellent work of both biography and Cold War history.(less)

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Nov 11, 2009 Tripp rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Hawk and the Dove is one of the most accessible and enjoyable books about the Cold War to come out in quite awhile. The book's biographical studies of Paul Nitze and George Kennan makes the story engaging and easy to follow. The idea that Nitze was the hawk and Kennan the dove makes stark a more muddled picture, but their relationship nicely highlights philosophical differences in the Cold War. Nitze often pushed the hard line and the militarization of containment, while its author Kennan th...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

Paul Nitze and George Kennan are the focus of this history. The author, Nicholas Thompson is the grandson of Paul Nitze. He is an award winning author in his own right.Throughout the book I keep in mind that the author was related to one of the characters. Nicholas Thompson showed very little bias in presenting the story of these two men. His presentation was well written and professional.

This is both a history of the cold war and a biography of two me who contributed so much to the foreign po...more

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Jan 27, 2011 rafaela rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people that like things about the holocaust

Recommended to rafaela by: the holocaust saction

I really liked the book. There are wonderful anecdotes and it the focus on the perspectives of the two men is illuminating. Although both men are legend in international relations, neither was ever really satisfied in their career, feeling they had been shut out of where they should be. There is sad moment where Nitze thinks he will get a plum spot in the Carter administration only to find himself without any job at all. a great read. Watch out, though, for the occasional lapse into conspiracy t...more

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May 09, 2012 Jim rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gave-up-on, audio-book

i wanted to hear this book. so much so though i bought another tantor recording. this makes six out of the seven i've bought that won't play. they have fantastic history books from the descriptions on the back of the cd boxes, but the cds are all junk.
bought from three different half-price bookstores.
i'm currently listening to (instead of this one) a fourth Great Courses series, and just finished a chris seay book and twilight zone collection, there's nothing wrong w/my cd player. just tantor...more

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Jan 03, 2010 Tony Taylor rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is a dual portrait of influential Cold War advocates, Paul Nitze and George Kennan, written by Nitze's grandson. It offers an insight into their opposing stances on such topics as the arms race, diplomacy, and foreign affairs.

This is a very readable book that I would recommend to anyone who has an interest in contemporary history, specifically The Cold War which ran from the end of WWII until1989 with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall.

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Mar 08, 2010 Merilee rated it 4 of 5 stars

More like 4.5 stars...

This is a very well-written and interesting joint biography of two of the biggest U.S. players in the Cold War, written by Nitze's grandson (though I could detect no partisanship on his part). These men disagreed on many issues during their long friendship, yet never lost respect for each other. Near the end, Thompson quotes from a speech which Nitze gave at his son's 1953 boarding school commencement, using the image of the tension in a bow or guitar, which could apply as...more

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Nov 21, 2009 Frank Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've read a fair amount about the Cold War and about the personalities who led the fight. Nick Thompson (the grandson of Paul Nitze) has written a fascinating, balanced and revealing account of the intertwined lives of two of the greatest men (and minds) who fought the fight. A really well written, extremely well researched read. I highly recommend it.

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Oct 04, 2009 Jared marked it as to-read

Having read Kennan's memoirs (which constitute an absolutely compelling and moving, if idiosyncratic, personal survey of mid-20th century history and diplomacy) and being somewhat familiar with Nitze's work, and having heard Mr. Thompson interviewed on the radio, I am eager to read this book.

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Jan 04, 2010 Jason rated it 5 of 5 stars

This dual political biography is an enjoyable, engaging and fascinating look at the Cold War through the parallel lives of two of its central actors. A must read for anyone interested in the Cold War, American foreign policy and 20th century American history.

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May 11, 2010 Zach rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-books, national-security, biographies, international-relations, cold-war

Suprisingly readable biography of two critical figures in US national security and diplomatic policy for much of the Cold War.

The author effectively combines descriptions of their personalities with their work to create an often moving story.

It should be noted that for students of national security policy, this does not go into the detail and analysis of other works on national security policy, especially the many devoted to Kennan's "Containment" policy. Still, it is an excellent companion pi...more

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Sep 11, 2010 Lauren Albert rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history-american, biography-autobiography

A fascinating look at two of the most important men involved in cold-war decision and opinion making. Though Thompson is Nitze's grandson, he is very even-handed in his presentation of the two friends and rivals.

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Feb 24, 2011 RUSA CODES rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: notable-books-2010

This was one of the 2010 RUSA Notable Books winners. For the complete list, go to http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rus...

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Jan 03, 2010 Bill rated it 5 of 5 stars

A fantastic look at the Cold War from beginning to end told through the lives of the two most influential architects and executors of Cold War policy. A must read for all who are interested in this subject

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Feb 22, 2010 Casey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Any foreign policy practitioner (or armchair historian) would find this book enriching and entertaining. Plus Thompson can really write.

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May 10, 2010 Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful book about the two men who were instrumental in the development of cold war policy. Interesting.

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Nov 13, 2011 Jan Brunner rated it 5 of 5 stars

Two of my favorite dead white men, written by one of their grandsons. What's not to love?

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Aug 19, 2011 K C rated it 3 of 5 stars

Clearly written history of the cold war from two not all that different perspectives after all

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Mar 15, 2010 Jenny rated it 5 of 5 stars

Paul Nitze and George Kennan shaped US thinking about the Soviet Union throughout the Cold War. They were friends and colleagues who disagreed more than they agreed. This fascinating book portrays their contrasting careers, friendships and family lives while identifying the unique place in history that each man played.

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Aug 10, 2012 T C rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked it. It's always interesting to get some insight into historical events.

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Sep 28, 2009 Tom added it

Upcoming author appearance, so reading an advance copy.

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Mar 20, 2010 Richard Agemo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

Thompson does a great job with this dual biography of Paul Nitze (the Hawk) and George Kennan (the Dove), providing two contrasting perspectives of the history of the Cold War. I believe, however, that George Kennan would strongly disagree with the author's thesis that Nitze's approach to the Soviet Union, based on the idea that the US could win an all-out nuclear war against its adversary, was "complementary" to, rather than opposed to, Kennan's theory of containment.

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Sep 18, 2011 Natasha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, history

An informative read. I learned a lot about Nitze and Kennan and their lives and views. I also learned a good deal about the Cold War and the roles they played in it.

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Sep 04, 2012 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Excellent history of the cold war, as seen through the experiences of George Kennan and Paul Nitze. The title actually does a bit of a disservice to both men, as they are much too complex to be so simply characterized. The complexities of the issues they dealt with are equally complex and the book makes for absorbing reading. The author is actually Paul Nitze's grandson, but you would never know that from reading the book. Continually fascinating - I highly recommend it.

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