"The accords were fig leaves of democratic procedure to hide the nakedness of Stalinist dictatorship"

This quote by George F. Kennan is referring to the Yalta and Potsdam agreements, which were signed by the Allied powers at the end of World War II. The arrangements were meant to ensure a peaceful transition of power in Europe and to produce a brand-new world order. However, Kennan is recommending that these contracts were merely a facade, a "fig leaf" of democratic treatment, to disguise the real nature of Stalinist dictatorship. Simply put, the agreements were a method for Stalin to maintain control over the nations of Eastern Europe, while seeming a legitimate leader. This quote is a pointer of the value of understanding the true intentions behind worldwide agreements, and of understanding the capacity for control and abuse of power.