Henry Alfred Kissinger, a German-born American diplomat and political scientist, was pivotal in shaping US foreign policy during the Cold War. Born on May 27th, 1923 in Fürth, Germany, he fled Nazi persecution with his family to the United States in 1938. Kissinger excelled academically, eventually becoming a professor at Harvard University. His expertise in international relations caught the attention of government officials, leading him to serve as National Security Advisor under President Richard Nixon from 1969 to 1975. He then held the position of Secretary of State from 1973 to 1977, playing a key role in negotiating the end of the Vietnam War and fostering a fragile détente with the Soviet Union. Kissinger’s legacy remains complex and controversial. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 but also faced criticism for his authorisation of covert operations in Latin America and his support for authoritarian regimes. Henry Kissinger died on November 29th, 2023, at his home in Kent, Connecticut, at age 100.
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