The source posted below contains speeches by George Kennan, Richard Nixon, Dwight Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson, John F. Kennedy, and Kwame Nkrumah. As you read them, try to see what each person’s position was within their respective government, and how this position might have influenced what they said and how they said it. Be aware that these sources, as well as the textbook, have their own biases.

The short paper prompt is as follows:

Do these historical figures see the Cold War as a defensive or offensive conflict?

Your thesis is the answer to this question. The thesis statement cannot be a simple indication of which viewpoint goes to which person – instead, try to find a position which ties them all together. This essay must be centered around your argument, not simply a comparison and contrasting of the different perspectives. For this assignment you must also include two articles from academic, peer-reviewed journals. Your essay must therefore have at least five (5) sources: three excerpts out of the six given here, plus the two you have found on your own. You may cite the book as a potential sixth source if you wish.

This essay must be a minimum of four (4) and a maximum of five (5) pages in length. All papers MUST INCLUDE a thesis statement, an argument, footnotes, and a bibliography.