Henry A. Kissinger

Biography

Henry Alfred Kissinger (born Heinz Alfred Kissinger; May 27, 1923 – November 29, 2023) was an American diplomat, political scientist, and geopolitical consultant. He served as United States Secretary of State and National Security Advisor under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. A Jewish refugee who fled Nazi Germany with his family, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1943. Kissinger played a pivotal role in U.S. foreign policy from 1969 to 1977, pioneering détente with the Soviet Union, opening relations with China, and negotiating the Paris Peace Accords to end American involvement in the Vietnam War. His diplomatic efforts were often controversial, yet he remained an influential figure in international relations and strategic thought for decades after leaving public office, authoring numerous books on diplomacy and world order.