15 January 1946

January 15, 1946. In his response to Pearson’s cable of December 6, 1945, Wilgress refers to his original Despatch No. 462 from November. Wilgress reiterates his respect for George Kennan, though contending that the “ascendancy of the tough school” of diplomacy in the United States was due to his influence. Wilgress remains convinced that the tough school’s approach would ultimately fail, asserting that Kennan’s interpretation of the situation in the USSR was incorrect. Pearson is also mentioned in the telegram: once in relation to Kennan’s misjudgement about the Soviet situation, and the other in an off-hand reference to Pearson’s time as the football coach at the University of Toronto in a pithy retort to Pearson's earlier cable. This cable is illustrative of changing Canadian approaches to the Soviet Union and the Western allies' approach. Wilgress was still critical of the American approach, but in light of the emerging bipolar system, the Canadians saw no other viable course of action than to fall in behind the Americans.