Dean Acheson, the cold war, and the limits of politics

Abstract

Abstract Dean Acheson's political theory of the cold war was grounded on an appreciation of the complementary role of prudence and principles in foreign policy. Always aware of the inclination toward moralism in American politics, Acheson attempted to forge a strategy that could meet the Soviet challenge without descending into a crusade against Communism. In this context, an examination of the decision to build the hydrogen bomb and the strategy document known as NSC 68 reveals the limits of American foreign policy in the era of an “armed truce.”