Henry Kissinger, a former US Secretary of State, passes away at age 100.

The former US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, died at the age of 100. Kissinger was a divisive and important figure in US foreign policy during 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 leaders continued to consult him for decades afterward.

 

The Connecticut-based former diplomat, who was born in Germany, passed away.

Because of his Realpolitik approach, Kissinger became a divisive figure; during their bombing campaign in Cambodia alongside President Richard Nixon, some accused him of war crimes.

Additionally, he endured harsh criticism over the years from those who said he put his rivalry with the Soviet Union ahead of human rights and endorsing authoritarian governments worldwide, such as Augusto Pinochet’s in Chile.

 

Leading the tributes 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 stemmed 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”.

 

The son of a school teacher arrived in the US for the first time in 1938, having been born in Germany in 1923. His folks escaped the Nazis. His accent from his native 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.

 

It was an endeavour that gave rise to the concept of shuttle diplomacy, which involves a mediator travelling between parties in conflict in order to assist them in coming to a settlement.

 

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 spearheaded.” At the moment, Israel and Hamas are at war.

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 relations.

Cambodia and Vietnam

But over time, Kissinger also faced harsh criticism from those who said he was putting Soviet rivalry ahead of solidarity on human rights and backing of authoritarian governments worldwide, such as Augusto Pinochet’s in Chile.

 

In an attempt to starve the communists of soldiers and supplies, Kissinger approved a campaign that resulted in the dropping of over two million tonnes of bombs on Cambodia, a neutral nation, as well as the deployment of thousands of ground troops. This campaign was approved while negotiations were ongoing with North Vietnam.

 

Millions of people were displaced 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 home page.

 

Kissinger, though, dismissed criticism with contempt.

 

“That’s a reflection of their ignorance,” the statesman with a gravelly voice said. In a conversation with CBS just before turning 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.

Henry Kissinger 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 commentator. 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 relations, Kissinger continued to lead an active life well 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.

The National Security Council spokesman, John Kirby, expressed frustration over the visit to the Chinese leaders, saying that “it’s unfortunate that a private citizen” had access to them while the US government did not.

 

When Henry Kissinger, then 99 years old, was interviewed by ABC for a book tour in July 2022, he was asked if he would take back any of his choices.

 

“These issues have been on my mind all my life. It’s both my job and my hobby,” 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.