Memos Worth
Reading Twice

George Kennan's Long Telegram was a 5,300-word diplomatic cable sent from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow to the State Department on February 22, 1946. In it, Kennan analyzed Soviet motivations and advocated for a policy of containment to counter Soviet expansionism during the early Cold War. The telegram became a foundational document shaping U.S. foreign policy for decades.

Bill Gates' 1995 memo declaring the internet's importance and directing staff to prioritize it. This internal communication shifted Microsoft's focus dramatically. It is considered a pivotal document in tech history.

Parts 1 and 2 by Elon Musk outlining the plan to revolutionize the automotive industry. This blog post/memo details Tesla's long-term strategy for electric vehicles and sustainable energy. It has guided the company's product roadmap.

Steve Jobs' open letter explaining why Flash is not supported on iPhone and why it should be abandoned. It critiques Flash's performance, security, and battery drain issues. This memo influenced the decline of Adobe Flash.

Document from 1972 by Butler Lampson initiating development of the Xerox Alto, the first computer with a graphical user interface and mouse. It justifies the need for a personal workstation with innovative features like bitmap display and Ethernet. This memo laid the foundation for modern computing interfaces.

A historical memo written by Steve Jobs during his tenure at Atari, featuring the 'All One Farm' stamp at the bottom. This document provides insight into Jobs' early career and is preserved as a digital image on Wikimedia Commons.

The Roswell Memo is a photograph of a telegram held by General Roger M. Ramey during a press conference about the 1947 Roswell incident. The memo has been the subject of intense scrutiny and debate regarding UFO conspiracy theories and weather balloon explanations.

Charles Colson's Memorandum is a directive sent by Charles Colson, Special Counsel to President Richard Nixon, to White House staff during the 1972 reelection campaign. The memo set rules and limited time off for staff during the 24-hour, 7-day-a-week campaign, promising to make amends for bruised feelings after the election. It provides insight into the internal operations and management style of the Nixon White House during a pivotal election year.

An April 9, 1934 memo from Department of Justice lawyer J.T. Fowler analyzing whether Congress has the constitutional authority to grant citizenship to Albert Einstein via special legislation. The memo concludes that Congress does have such power but that exercising it may be unwise, discussing the uniformity requirement in the Naturalization Clause.

The Truman Doctrine was a foreign policy initiative announced by President Harry S. Truman in 1947, pledging U.S. support for democracies threatened by authoritarian forces. It marked the start of the Cold War containment policy, providing political, military, and economic aid to Greece and Turkey. This document is a key milestone in United States foreign policy and postwar history.

This historic eight-sentence memo, issued by Apple CEO Michael Scott in October 1981, banned the purchase or lease of typewriters at Apple and mandated the use of word processing technology. The memo reflects Apple's commitment to innovation and internal adoption of new technologies before promoting them to customers. It is cited as a game-changing decision that helped shape Apple's culture of embracing cutting-edge tools.

A complete bound set of Howard Marks' memos, inscribed by the author, donated to the Museum of American Finance in honor of the 35th anniversary of his first memo. The collection represents approximately 160 public memos written since 1990, offering candid commentary on market environments and regarded as influential writings in modern finance.