Henry Kissinger, the former US Secretary of State, has away at the age of 100. Kissinger was a divisive and important figure in US foreign policy throughout the Cold War.
During the Nixon and Ford administrations, he was the United States’ principal diplomat and national security advisor.
He left government in the middle of the 1970s, but generations of politicians continued to consult him for decades afterward.
The Connecticut-based former diplomat, who was born in Germany, has away.
Because of his Realpolitik approach, Henry Kissinger became a divisive character; during their bombing campaign in Cambodia alongside President Richard Nixon, some accused him of war crimes.
Furthermore, he faced harsh criticism over the years from people who said he supported oppressive governments all over the world, especially Augusto Pinochet’s in Chile, and put his rivalry with the Soviet Union ahead of human rights.
Leading the condolences was the former US President George W. Bush, who declared that the country had “lost one of the most dependable and distinctive voices on foreign affairs”.
Tony Blair, the former prime minister of the United Kingdom, called Kissinger an artist of diplomacy and stated that his motivation sprang from “a genuine love of the free world and the need to protect it”.
Tricia Nixon Cox and Julie Nixon Eisenhower, the daughters of President Richard Nixon, praised Henry Kissinger’s life narrative as “so unique – and so thoroughly American”.
“Henry Kissinger will long be remembered for his many achievements in advancing the cause of peace,” read the statement. “But it was his character that we will never forget.”
The school teacher’s son was born in Germany in 1923, but he didn’t get to the US until 1938, when he and his family fled the Nazis. His accent from his home Bavaria never really left.
After obtaining US citizenship in 1943, he served in the US Army for three years before joining the Counter Intelligence Corps.
He taught international relations at Harvard after obtaining a PhD, a master’s degree, and a bachelor’s degree.
He was appointed national security adviser by then-President Nixon in 1969, a post that gave him significant influence over US foreign policy.
During his eight years as secretary of state and national security adviser (1969–1977), the United States of America ultimately withdrew from the Vietnam War. Additionally, it led to the normalisation of relations with China and the end of hostilities between Israel and Egypt and Syria during the Yom Kippur War of 1973 in the Middle East.
The concept of shuttle diplomacy, in which a mediator moves between opposing sides to assist them in reaching a settlement, was born out of this endeavour.
Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, praised Kissinger’s role in the peace deal with Egypt on social media, writing that “the entire family of nations is blessed to this day by the fruits of the historic processes he led.” Israel and Hamas are at war at the moment.
News of Kissinger’s passing quickly became popular on the social media site Weibo in China, where he had long-lasting fame.
He was described as “an old friend of the Chinese people” in China News’ obituary, and he was referred to as “a legendary diplomat” by China Central Television, who further noted his significant contribution to US-China ties.
Vietnam and Cambodia
As time went on, though, Kissinger also came under intense fire from those who said he supported oppressive governments all over the world, such as Augusto Pinochet’s in Chile, and prioritised his rivalry with the Soviet Union over humanitarian concerns.
Kissinger supported a campaign that resulted in the dropping of over two million tonnes of bombs on Cambodia, a neutral nation, and the deployment of thousands of ground troops in an attempt to starve the communists of supplies and manpower while in negotiations with North Vietnam.
Millions of people were uprooted and over 50,000 civilians perished in the raids.
Even after his death, resentment over a number of his policies persisted. The headlines “Henry Kissinger, War Criminal Beloved by America’s Ruling Class, Finally Dies” appeared in Rolling Stone’s obituary, while the left-leaning Huffpost splashed “The Beltway Butcher” over a picture of him on its top page.
Henry Kissinger, though, dismissed criticism with contempt.
“That’s a reflection of their ignorance,” the statesman with a gravelly voice told CBS just before he turned 100 years old.
Together with Le Duc Tho of North Vietnam, who declined to accept, he was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 for brokering the Paris Peace Accords, which put an end to US involvement in the Vietnam War.
Peace activists fiercely criticised the prize, which forced two Nobel committee members to step down.
After leaving the government in 1977, Kissinger remained a well-known public affairs analyst. Twelve US presidents, ranging from John F. Kennedy to Joe Biden, as well as legislators, sought his advice.
Interestingly, Kissinger is the only American to have had direct dealings with every Chinese leader, ranging from Xi Jinping to Mao Zedong.
In addition to writing 21 books, he was a regular in foreign policy and security forums and on the boards of several businesses.
Despite a deterioration in US-China ties, Kissinger continued to lead an active life much past the age of 100. In July of this year, he made an unexpected trip to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the elderly statesman was warmly received.
For More : News
The National Security Council spokesman, John Kirby, expressed frustration about the visit to the Chinese officials, saying that “it’s unfortunate that a private citizen” had access to them but the US government did not.
When Kissinger was 99 years old in July 2022, he was asked if he would go back and change any of his judgements during an interview with ABC while on a book tour.
“These issues have been on my mind all my life. It’s both my job and my passion,” he remarked. “And so the recommendations I made were the best of which I was then capable.”
Nancy Maginnes Kissinger, his wife of almost 50 years, two children from a previous marriage, Elizabeth and David, as well as five grandchildren, survive him.