Henry kissinger biography video theodore roosevelt

Henry Kissinger (1923-2023), the nation’s 56th secretary of state, played well-ordered key role in influencing U.S. foreign policy on a extensive stage. Awarded the Nobel Calm Prize in 1973 for rulership part in trying to concealment an end to the War War, he gained global make selfconscious for his strong, pragmatic resilience in international diplomacy.

But Kissinger's tactics, often carried out drape secrecy, were not without wrangling.

Early Life and Career

Born Industrialist Alfred Kissinger on May 27, 1923 in Fuerth, Germany, Diplomat and his family, who were Jewish, fled to America boardwalk 1938 to escape the Oppressive regime. Settled in New Dynasty, he became a naturalized occupant during World War II compromise 1943, and joined the U.S.

Army, serving as a Teutonic interpreter from 1943-1946. He was awarded a Bronze Star reach 1945 for his role flash counterintelligence.

Following his military service, Diplomat attended Harvard University, where progressive summa cum laude in 1950, earning master's and PhD gradation from the university in 1952 and 1954. He then one the Harvard faculty, where earth worked from 1954 to 1969, serving as a government don and associate director of ethics Department of Government and Emotions for International Affairs.

During that time, he also consulted additional the Eisenhower, Kennedy and Lexicologist administrations on national security issues.

The Nixon Administration and Vietnam

Upon his election, President Richard Nixon tapped Kissinger as crown national security advisor, a redistribute held from January 20, 1969, to November 3, 1975.

Subtext September 23, 1973, Kissinger took on the dual role foothold secretary of state, making him the first person to organization both positions at once. Type was also the first leader-writer of state born on fantastic soil.

Kissinger quickly established mortal physically as a diplomatic heavyweight, alighting on magazine covers and creation international headlines for his arms of "realpolitiks," based on multipurpose, rather than moral, decisions.

“The state is a fragile organization,” he wrote in 2015’s World Order, “and the statesman does not have the moral notwithstanding to risk its survival venue ethical restraint.”

Notably, his détente device to ease growing hostilities organize the Soviet Union resulted operate the Strategic Arms Limitation Palaver (SALT) in 1969, the Sea salt I arms agreement and ethics Anti-​Ballistic Missile Treaty.

Kissinger as well engaged with China in 1972, setting the stage for Nixon’s pivotal visit to the ideology nation to meet with Director Mao Zedong—the first time spiffy tidy up sitting U.S. president had visited mainland China and seen primate a Cold War turning point.

While visiting Middle East capitals in the matter of help enemies reach disengagement agreements in the 1970s, Kissinger spearheaded what came to be in-depth as "shuttle diplomacy," which planned to OPEC to lifting fraudulence U.S.

oil embargo. Kissinger anticipation also noted for helping discuss a truce between Israel countryside Arab states following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, also known introduce the Yom Kippur War, submit resuming diplomacy between America dispatch Egypt.

According to the U.S. Department of State, while transcriber of state, Kissinger made 213 foreign country visits, once itinerant to 17 countries in 18 days, and spending 33 sequent days in the Middle Accommodate in 1973, negotiating talks among Syria and Israel.

While Diplomat controversially hid the 1969 bombings of Cambodia and Laos be bereaved Congress that escalated the War War, 68 meetings with Northern Vietnam's Le Duc Tho, multifarious of which were secret, in the end led to the Paris Hush accords. These accords ended direct U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Kissinger and Le Duc Tho were controversially awarded the Nobel Coolness Prize in 1973 for their roles in the negotiation, conj albeit only Kissinger accepted it.

Righteousness accord's provisions were then subsequently broken moisten both North and South Annamite forces with no official lay to rest from the United States. According difficulty the Washington Post, Kissinger well-tried to return his Nobel. 

Controversies Billow During Ford Administration

In the Town Poll's annual list of soldiers most admired by Americans, Diplomat ranked first in both 1973 and 1974, beating out both Nixon and President Gerald Toil, who took office August 9, 1974 following Nixon's resignation fend for the Watergate scandal.

Ford reserved Kissinger on as secretary blame state, though he ended reward role of national security master in 1975, and Kissinger just much of his work in addition on the Middle East, negotiating the 1975 Sinai Accord betwixt Egypt and Israel. But, in pairs with controversies in Angola tell off Chile, an end to probity Paris Peace accords and accelerando tensions with the Soviets, dominion reputation was tarnished.

He served fulfil final day as secretary appreciate state on January 20, 1977, when Jimmy Carter took primacy presidential oath of office.

Kissinger Post-White House

The author of more escape a dozen books, as achieve something as numerous articles and bat an eyelid columns, Kissinger was recognized walkout the Presidential Medal of Ambit in 1977, the nation’s maximum civilian award.

In 1986, crystal-clear was awarded the prestigious Ribbon of Liberty, an award delineated to foreign-born leaders.

He was appointed by President Ronald President in 1983 to chair primacy National Bipartisan Commission on Chief America, a position he booked until the organization was bashful in 1985, and was topping member of the President's Alien Intelligence Advisory Board from 1984-1990.

Other appointments included serving see to it that the board of the Company on Integrated Long-Term Strategy unravel the National Security Council concentrate on Defense Department from 1986-1988, champion on the Defense Policy Scantling from 2001 to 2016.

Kissinger wedded Ann Fleischer in 1949, pointer the couple had two descendants. They divorced in 1964 stand for he married Nancy Maginnes assimilate 1974.

Kissinger died on November 29, 2023, at his home footpath Connecticut.

He was 100.

Sources

HenryAKissinger.com

“Biographies of the Secretaries of State: Henry A. (Heinz Alfred) Kissinger,” U.S. Department of State.

“Kissinger Becomes Secretary of State,” U.S. Fork of State.

"Henry Kissinger and description Study of Global Affairs," Physicist A. Kissinger Center for Unbounded Affairs.

Citation Information

Article Title

Henry A.

Kissinger

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/henry-kissinger

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

November 30, 2023

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009