2023-11-30 10:29:36
Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger – one of the most influential diplomats of the 20th century – has died at the age of 100. Kissinger, who was born in Fürth, Franconia, died on Wednesday at his home in the US state of Connecticut, his consulting firm Kissinger Associates announced. The Secretary of State under US Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford had an enormous influence on international politics following the Second World War, but was also highly controversial.
As national security advisor and foreign minister in the 1970s, he pushed for an easing of relations with the Soviet Union. He played a key role in the SALT I arms control treaty in 1972. He also initiated a cautious rapprochement with communist-ruled China.
In 1973, Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize together with the North Vietnamese chief negotiator Le Duc Tho for a ceasefire agreement in the Vietnam War. But the war continued despite the agreement, and Tho even refused the price.
also read
For critics, Kissinger became the epitome of the unscrupulous power politician who enforced US interests with a hard hand. He was sharply criticized for the USA’s shared responsibility for the Pinochet coup in Chile in 1973. Kissinger also approved of Indonesia’s bloody invasion of East Timor in 1975. No German emigrant, however, has achieved as much success in US politics as Kissinger.
Heinz Alfred Kissinger was born on May 27, 1923 in Fürth into a Jewish family of teachers. In 1938, the Kissingers fled Nazi persecution to the USA, Heinz became Henry, and naturalization in their new homeland followed in 1943. As a US soldier, Kissinger returned to Germany during the Second World War and, among other things, helped to track down Nazi henchmen.
His time in the US Army was followed by an illustrious academic career at Harvard University. The political scientist attracted attention with his analyzes of defense strategy and nuclear weapons and began advising the US government.
Kissinger pushed for an easing of relations with the arch-rival Soviet Union
When Republican Richard Nixon entered the White House as president in 1969, he made Kissinger his national security adviser and, in 1973, secretary of state. Kissinger became the epitome of the realpolitiker. He was driven by maintaining influence and balancing the global balance of power. His work earned him many admirers, but also many bitter opponents.
“Even long following the end of his term in office, Kissinger sparked controversial opinions,” says his biographer Walter Isaacson. “Hate and adoration, rejection and awe, there isn’t much neutral territory in between.”
Kissinger pushed for an easing of relations with the arch-rival Soviet Union and was instrumental in the creation of the SALT I arms control treaty in 1972. He also initiated a cautious rapprochement with communist-ruled China. Kissinger is also famous for his “shuttle diplomacy” in the Middle East conflict, in which he mediated through numerous trips.
also read
Legendary US foreign policy expert
In 1973 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize together with the North Vietnamese chief negotiator Le Duc Tho for a ceasefire agreement in the Vietnam War. But it is one of the most controversial decisions in the history of the prize: Tho refused the honor because the war continued despite the agreement. Kissinger himself later wanted to return the prize.
In any case, Kissinger was criticized for his role in the Vietnam War, including with regard to the bombing of the neighboring countries Laos and Cambodia. Even outside of the Vietnam War, the list of allegations once morest the once powerful diplomat was long. Kissinger was sharply criticized for the USA’s shared responsibility for the Pinochet coup in Chile in 1973. He ignored massacres committed by Pakistan during the 1971 Bangladesh War and approved of Indonesia’s bloody invasion of East Timor in 1975.
“At times he seemed painfully amoral,” writes biographer Isaacson. Critics even called Kissinger a war criminal. The otherwise self-confident Kissinger later admitted that no one might say that he had worked in a government that had not made any mistakes.
But such sounds were rather unusual. Even Nixon’s successor Gerald Ford, for whom Kissinger also served as Secretary of State until 1977, was annoyed by his bossiness: “Henry is convinced that he has never made a mistake,” said Ford.
“Better to admit Ukraine into NATO”
When Ford lost the 1976 presidential election to Democrat Jimmy Carter, Kissinger’s ministerial career was over. However, the strategist with the distinctive, gnarled bass voice remained a much sought-following and influential advisor in Washington in the decades that followed – and his word carried weight until the end. As an author, even in his old age, he dealt with topics such as world politics and diplomacy, but also the challenges of artificial intelligence.
He also commented on the war in Ukraine – and said in an interview with “Zeit” that not “all the blame” lies with Russian President Vladimir Putin. As early as 2014, he “expressed serious doubts regarding the plan to invite Ukraine to join NATO,” said Kissinger. “This began a series of events that culminated in the war.”
But now it would be better for the West to “admit Ukraine to NATO,” the diplomacy legend added. A piece of advice that would be particularly welcome in Kiev.
Here you will find content from third parties
In order to display embedded content, your revocable consent to the transmission and processing of personal data is necessary, as the providers of the embedded content require this consent as third party providers [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (revocable at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the USA, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information regarding this. You can revoke your consent at any time using the switch and privacy at the bottom of the page.
1701344544
#Henry #Kissinger #Secretary #State #dies
