The present collection includes more than 400 manuscripts, some 360 of which are letters exchanged by Kennan and Lukacs over more than 50 years. The number of letters written by each of the correspondents is roughly equal, as is the total number of pages. There are 38 letters written by other parties, most commonly Kennan's secretaries. There are also 23 enclosures, many of them typescripts of writings or speeches sent by Kennan to Lukacs. The collection was preserved by Lukacs; the letters written by him are copies retained for his records, mostly in the form of carbons or photocopies. The Kennan letters are the originals received by Lukacs. Lukacs's retained copies show edit marks in his hand, as do photocopies he made of his letters from Kennan (which are present and filed with the originals). This editing was done ca. 2008-09, in preparation for the publication of about 200 of the letters in Through the History of the Cold War. The letters as published are abridged or excerpted, as Lukacs says in the book's introduction, ". . . in order to concentrate on the main subjects of our correspondence: the cold war, and history, and—perhaps—philosophy from time to time."

Lukacs first wrote Kennan (3 September 1952) as a relatively unknown diplomatic historian with an interest in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union; Kennan was just ending his short stay as U.S. ambassador to Moscow. The two men found common intellectual ground, and continued the occasional exchange of letters on their respective writings and on contemporaneous events through the 1950s and 60s. With each passing decade the correspondence grew; by ca. 1980 the two men were close friends, writing, phoning one another, and meeting as circumstances allowed. The later letters include much personal content, but the correspondence remained very much dedicated to the exchange of ideas, even as the Cold War passed into history. Kennan and Lukacs sometimes read and critiqued drafts of one another's writings. As Lukacs says in the introduction to Through the History of the Cold War, ". . . his last letters to me (not included in this volume) were models of clarity as late as the spring of 2003, into the one-hundredth year of his life."

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1952 September 3 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1952 November 13 (TLS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1953 October 31 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1953 November 6 (TLS with 2.5 photocopies); Lukacs to Kennan, 1953 November 15 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1953 November 18 (TLS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1955 October 28 (TL with 1 enclosure); Kennan to Lukacs, 1955 October 31 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1955 November 9 (TL).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1956 April 17 (TL); Dorothy Hessman to Lukacs, 1956 April 23 (TLS); Lukacs to Kennan, 1956 May 27 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1956 July 11 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1956 August 21 (TL); unidentified to Lukacs, 1956 August 23 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1956 September 6 (TLS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1957 January 17 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1957 January 25 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1957 April 30 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1957 May 3 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1957 July 18 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Dorothy Hessman to Lukacs, 1957 August 30 (TLS); Lukacs to Kennan, 1957 December 2 (TLS); Kennan to Lukacs, 1957 December 28 (TLS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1958 January 8 (TL); Lukacs to Kennan, 1958 March 11 (TL); "PWB" to Lukacs, 1958 March 26 (TLS); Lukacs to Kennan, 1958 September 11 (TL).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1959 January 11 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1959 January 16 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Dorothy Hessman to Lukacs, 1959 January 22 (TLS); Kennan to Lukacs, 1959 April 5 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1959 April 12 (TL).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1960 February 10 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1960 February 26 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1960 May 12 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1960 May 17 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1960 August 14 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1960 August 25 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Dorothy Hessman to Lukacs, 1960 October 31 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1960 November 4 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1960 November 7 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1960 November 11 (TLS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1961 March 18 (TL); Dorothy Hessman to Lukacs, 1961 March 22 (TLS).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1962 February 19 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1962 March 6 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1962 May 17 (TL); Lukacs to Kennan, 1962 June 5 (TL); Dorothy Hessman to Lukacs, 1962 May 12 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1962 November 28 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1962 December 14 (TLS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1963 May 12 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1963 May 29 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1963 November 8 (TL).

Folder includes: Kennan to Lukacs, 1964 January 15 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1964 April 6 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1964 April 13 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1964 April 19 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1964 April 30 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1964 August 19 (TL); Constance Moench to Lukacs, 1964 August 24 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Constance Moench, 1964 August 27 (TL).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Constance Moench, 1965 October 28 (TL); Constance Moench to Lukacs, 1965 November 4 (TLS).

Folder includes: Kennan to Lukacs, 1966 January 17 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1966 January 24 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1966 February 28 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1966 April 30 (TL); Constance Moench to Lukacs, 1966 May 6 (TLS).

Folder includes: Kennan to Lukacs, 1966 June 17 (ALS with 1.5 photocopies); Constance Moench to Lukacs, 1966 July 6 (TLS); Lukacs to Kennan, 1966 July 13 (TL); Constance Moench to Lukacs, 1966 August 8 (TLS).

Folder includes: Constance Moench to Lukacs, 1967 May 22 (TLS); Constance Moench to Lukacs, 1967 September 11 (TLS); Lukacs to Kennan, 1967 October 14 (TL with 1 ENC); Kennan to Lukacs, 1967 October 19 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1967 December 3 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1967 December 7 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1967 December 26 (TL).

Folder includes: Constance Moench to Lukacs, 1968 March 8 (TLS); Lukacs to Kennan, 1968 March 28 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1968 April 3 (TLS with 2 photocopies); Lukacs to Kennan, 1968 April 6 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1968 December 3 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1968 December 10 (TL).

Folder includes: Janet Smith to Lukacs, 1969 March 17 (TLS); Kennan to Lukacs, 1969 March 27 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1969 April 13 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1969 April 20 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1969 July 22 (TL); Janet Smith to Lukacs, 1969 August 5 (TLS); Kennan to Lukacs, 1969 August 13 (TLS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1970 August 14 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1970 August 20 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1970 November 15 (TLS with 3 photocopies).

Folder includes: Kennan to Lukacs, 1971 January 5 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1971 April 14 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1971 May 12 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1971 May 20 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1971 November 17 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1971 November 28 (ALS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Kennan to Lukacs, 1972 January 18 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1972 December 20 (TLS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Kennan to Lukacs, 1973 April 4 (ALS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Kennan to Lukacs, 1974 February 7 (TLS with 1 enclosure and 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1974 February 16 (enclosure lacking cover letter with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1974 February 22 (TLS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Kennan to Lukacs, 1974 March 8 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1974 September 23 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1974 October 10 (TL).

Folder includes: Kennan to Lukacs, 1975 April 13 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1975 April 24 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1975 August 30 (TL); Constance Moench to Lukacs, 1975 October 16 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1975 October 19 (TL with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1976 February 2 (TL); Lukacs to Kennan, 1976 November 20 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1976 December 11 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1976 December 21 (TL).

Folder includes: Kennan to Lukacs, 1977 February 6 (TLS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1978 July 31 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1978 August 8 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1978 August 11 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1978 August 15 (ALS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1979 January 10 (TL); Lukacs to Kennan, 1979 May 8 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1979 May 17 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1979 August 30 (TL with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1979 September 10 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1979 September 12 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1979 October 28 (ALS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1980 January 7 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1980 January 13 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1980 March 9 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1980 March 12 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Constance Moench to Lukacs, 1980 October 2 (TLS); Kennan to Lukacs, 1980 December (ALS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1980 December 26 (TL).

Folder includes: Ilene Cohen to Lukacs, 1982 March 3 (TLS); Kennan to Lukacs, 1982 April 3 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1982 April 15 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1982 May 3 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1982 November 4 (TL).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1983 March 17 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1983 September 27 (ALS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Kennan to Lukacs, 1984 January 4 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1984 January 15 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1984 February 15 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1984 March 5 (TLS); Kennan to Lukacs, 1984 April 10 (TLS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1984 June 15 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1984 July 8 (TL with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1984 July 18 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1984 July 27 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1984 August 16 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1984 August 27 (TLS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1984 September 4 (TL); Lukacs to Kennan, 1984 October 22 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1984 October 24 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1984 December 5 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1984 December 9 (TL with 1 ENC); Kennan to Lukacs, 1984 December 18 (TLS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1985 April 3 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1985 April 28 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1985 May 7 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1985 May 14 (TLS); Lukacs to Kennan, 1985 July 29 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1985 September 19 (TLS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Lukacs to Kennan, 1985 September 25 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1985 October 15 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1985 October 20 (TL); Lukacs to Kennan, 1985 December 18 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1985 December 22 (ALS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Kennan to Lukacs, 1986 February 5 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Kennan to Lukacs, 1986 February 17 (ALS with 1 photocopy), Kennan to Lukacs, 1986 March 27 (ALS with 1 photocopy).

Folder includes: Kennan to Lukacs, 1986 April 7 (ALS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1986 April 15 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1986 April 16 (TLS with 1 photocopy); Lukacs to Kennan, 1986 April 27 (TL); Lukacs to Kennan, 1986 May 15 (TL); Kennan to Lukacs, 1986 May 31 (ALS with 1 photocopy).