A letter from an alum about George Kennan ’25

December 16, 2003

Your article about George Kennan ’25 was well done, but you failed to mention that he had been ambassador to the Soviet Union and to Yugoslavia as well as director of the Policy Planning Bureau in the State Department.

To say that “he never rose higher than a midlevel position” is totally inaccurate and does not do justice to one of the most outstanding Foreign Service officers in the 20th century. Many of us Princetonians who serve in the Foreign Service looked up to him as a role model. I am pleased that Princeton will honor him on February 20 with a galaxy of international experts, but the record needs to be corrected.

Alan W. Lukens ’46
Chevy Chase, Md.

Lukens is a former ambassador to the Congo

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