Henry Kissinger, former chief US diplomat under the Nixon and Ford administrations, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 100.
His death was confirmed by his personal website.
Kissinger, considered by many to be the most influential US Secretary of State, is credited with brokering the opening of US-China relations, culminating in President Richard Nixon’s landmark visit to Beijing in 1972. He is also believed to have influenced détente with the Soviet Union, improving relations between the nuclear superpowers.
Besides serving as Secretary of State from 1973-1977 under Nixon and President Gerald Ford, he also served as National Security Advisor from 1969-1975.
However, he also faced worldwide condemnation over his role in the US bombing of Cambodia and the 1970 invasion alongside the South Vietnamese. According to the US Holocaust Museum, the bombing campaign and invasion were aimed at disrupting North Vietnam’s supply chains. The military action entailed a massive bombardment campaign in which more than 2.7 million tonnes of bombs were dropped.
Many of the bombs that were dropped on Cambodia and caused massive civilian and combatant deaths were cluster munitions.
Witness what Henry did in Cambodia – the fruits of his genius for statesmanship – and you will never understand why he’s not sitting in the dock at The Hague next to Milosevic.
Renowned chef and traveller Anthony Bourdain claimed this, referring to Slobodan Milosevic, the president of Yugoslavia who passed away of a heart attack while on trial for war crimes.
Kissinger had two children, Elizabeth and David, from his first marriage.
