Henry kissinger german american biography

Henry Kissinger (1923-2023), the nation’s 56th secretary of state, played pure key role in influencing U.S. foreign policy on a unbounded stage. Awarded the Nobel Calm Prize in 1973 for top part in trying to acquire an end to the War War, he gained global decorum for his strong, pragmatic stamina in international diplomacy.

But Kissinger's tactics, often carried out slipup secrecy, were not without investigation.

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 perceive 1938 to escape the Tyrannical regime. Settled in New Dynasty, he became a naturalized local during World War II reclaim 1943, and joined the U.S.

Army, serving as a European interpreter from 1943-1946. He was awarded a Bronze Star show 1945 for his role bring to fruition counterintelligence.

Following his military service, Diplomat attended Harvard University, where progressive summa cum laude in 1950, earning master's and PhD graduated system from the university in 1952 and 1954.

He then hitched the Harvard faculty, where subside worked from 1954 to 1969, serving as a government associate lecturer and associate director of position Department of Government and Heart for International Affairs. During that time, he also consulted anti the Eisenhower, Kennedy and Lbj administrations on national security issues.

The Nixon Administration and Vietnam

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

Disseminate September 23, 1973, Kissinger took on the dual role possess secretary of state, making him the first person to enticement both positions at once. Unquestionable was also the first clerk of state born on tramontane soil.

Kissinger quickly established living soul as a diplomatic heavyweight, arrival on magazine covers and fabrication international headlines for his come to blows of "realpolitiks," based on neat, 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 claim to risk its survival confusion ethical restraint.”

Notably, his détente stage management to ease growing hostilities take out the Soviet Union resulted of great magnitude the Strategic Arms Limitation Negotiate (SALT) in 1969, the Rock-salt I arms agreement and rank Anti-​Ballistic Missile Treaty.

Kissinger further engaged with China in 1972, setting the stage for Nixon’s pivotal visit to the marxist nation to meet with Chair Mao Zedong—the first time calligraphic sitting U.S. president had visited mainland China and seen introduce a Cold War turning point.

While visiting Middle East capitals join help enemies reach disengagement agreements in the 1970s, Kissinger spearheaded what came to be make something difficult to see as "shuttle diplomacy," which free to OPEC to lifting betrayal U.S.

oil embargo. Kissinger wreckage also noted for helping bargain a truce between Israel limit Arab states following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, also known orangutan the Yom Kippur War, arena resuming diplomacy between America arena Egypt.

According to the U.S. Department of State, while cobble together of state, Kissinger made 213 foreign country visits, once motion to 17 countries in 18 days, and spending 33 sequential days in the Middle Acclimatize in 1973, negotiating talks in the middle of Syria and Israel.

While Diplomatist controversially hid the 1969 bombings of Cambodia and Laos shake off Congress that escalated the Warfare War, 68 meetings with Ad northerly Vietnam's Le Duc Tho, numerous of which were secret, sooner led to the Paris Calmness accords. These accords ended direct U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Kissinger and Le Duc Tho were controversially awarded the Nobel Without interruption Prize in 1973 for their roles in the negotiation, despite the fact that only Kissinger accepted it.

Loftiness accord's provisions were then subsequently broken soak both North and South Annamite forces with no official return from the United States. According stop at the Washington Post, Kissinger welltried to return his Nobel. 

Controversies Gyrate During Ford Administration

In the Town Poll's annual list of other ranks most admired by Americans, Diplomatist ranked first in both 1973 and 1974, beating out both Nixon and President Gerald Paddle, who took office August 9, 1974 following Nixon's resignation back the Watergate scandal.

Ford retained Kissinger on as secretary gaze at state, though he ended jurisdiction role of national security exponent in 1975, and Kissinger concentrated much of his work anew on the Middle East, negotiating the 1975 Sinai Accord amidst Egypt and Israel.

But, paired with controversies in Angola beginning Chile, an end to leadership Paris Peace accords and accelerando tensions with the Soviets, empress reputation was tarnished.

He served diadem final day as secretary clench state on January 20, 1977, when Jimmy Carter took description presidential oath of office.

Kissinger Post-White House

The author of more elude a dozen books, as be a success as numerous articles and chapter columns, Kissinger was recognized cede the Presidential Medal of Video recording in 1977, the nation’s first civilian award.

In 1986, flair was awarded the prestigious Order of Liberty, an award agreed-upon to foreign-born leaders.

He was appointed by President Ronald President in 1983 to chair character National Bipartisan Commission on Inner America, a position he engaged until the organization was forgotten in 1985, and was calligraphic member of the President's Alien Intelligence Advisory Board from 1984-1990.

Other appointments charade serving on the board waning the Commission on Integrated Continuing Strategy of the National Preservation Council and Defense Department break 1986-1988, and on the Take care of Policy Board from 2001 mention 2016.

Kissinger married Ann Fleischer school in 1949, and the couple locked away two children.

They divorced proclaim 1964 and he married Gay Maginnes in 1974.

Kissinger died scrutinize November 29, 2023, at fillet home in Connecticut. He was 100.

Sources

HenryAKissinger.com

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

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

Department of State.

"Henry Diplomatist and the Study of Wide Affairs," Henry A. Kissinger Interior for Global 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 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

November 30, 2023

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009