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In what seems a divine twist of fate, exactly 59 years before the birth of George Kennan, the man for whom Kennan would be name, was also born. Although seemingly just a coincidence in and of itself, this name sake for the young George Kennan was also connected with that vast eastern land of Russia. The first Kennan, the cousin of the younger Kennan's grandfather, worked as a journalist in Russia and wrote about life in the harsh area of Russia known as Siberia. An opponent to the Bolshevik revolution, the older Kennan not only had his name given to the younger George, but apparently also a deep connection with the country of Russia and an antipathy towards the communist system. As if by birthright, the younger Kennan would be forever tied to Russia.

George F. Kennan was born in Milwaukee on February 16, 1904. Unfortunately, before his young life could scarcely get started, a tragic and defining moment would occur. Only a few weeks after his birth, Kennan's mother died. Due to the death of his mother at such an early age, along with an emotional detachment maintained by his father, Kennan's childhood was, understandably, difficult. In his memoirs, Kennan admits that the death of his mother may have left him "scarred for life," but goes on to say that such a conclusion is more a "rational deduction" than "anything drawn from memory." Nevertheless, Kennan grew up very introverted. He developed a keen intellect, but at the same time considered many of his peers to be his intellectual inferiors. This did not help in his ability to make friends and he thus had a very solitary childhood.
At the age of twelve, Kennan's father sent him off to military school. He attended St. John's Military Academy in Delafield, Wisconsin. This too was a formative step in his development. It was at this time in his life that he learned the values of "discipline, patriotism, and respect for national service." Although he remained a relative loner, biographer Walter Hixon describes Kennan as being "shy and ill at ease in social settings," Kennan was still able to continue to develop his intellect and gain an admiration for those qualities, such as the patriotism and respect for national service, that would compel him into a life of service in the Federal Government.
When it came time for Kennan to decide on a college, he set his focus on Princeton, a decision that "reflected both ambition and romanticism- two of his strongest personality traits." Princeton not only presented Kennan with

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