Henry Kissinger — Person

About

Henry Alfred Kissinger (1923 – November 29, 2023) was a German-born American diplomat, political scientist, geopolitical consultant, and foreign policy advisor who served as National Security Advisor (1969–1975) and U.S. Secretary of State (1973–1977) under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. A Nobel Peace Prize laureate, he was an influential architect of détente with the Soviet Union and a leading proponent of realpolitik, and he played controversial roles in U.S. policy on Vietnam, Chile, and other international matters. Kissinger was a longtime member of the Council on Foreign Relations; after leaving government he co-founded the global consulting firm Kissinger Associates and maintained extensive international ties with figures such as Ehud Barak and John Kerry.

Key Relationships

Stephen A. Schwarzman

intermediary

Kissinger has facilitated Schwarzman's introductions to foreign leaders and sovereign funds, including in China and the Middle East, through shared CFR and Asia Society networks, often in non-public settings.

Since 2000

Richard Pipes

opposed

Pipes was a vocal critic of Kissinger's detente policy, arguing in writings and testimonies that it underestimated Soviet expansionism and enabled communist aggression; this opposition positioned Pipes as a key figure in the anti-detente faction within conservative foreign policy circles.

Since 1970

Council on Foreign Relations

influenced

Kissinger's ideas and CFR involvement have influenced U.S. foreign policy doctrines, including détente and post-Vietnam strategies, through reports and memberships.

Since NaN

Christopher Hitchens

attacked

Christopher Hitchens was a longstanding and vehement critic of Henry Kissinger, extensively reporting on and attacking him in articles and authoring the 2001 book *The Trial of Henry Kissinger*. In this work and through media platforms, he accused Kissinger of war crimes, illegal bombings, and the orchestration of coups in Vietnam, Chile, and Cambodia, calling for his prosecution and demanding accountability. This adversarial stance, which positioned Hitchens as a key intellectual opponent to the former Secretary of State's legacy and influence in foreign policy circles, defined much of his anti-imperialist writings.

Since 1970

World Economic Forum (WEF)

attended_event_with

Kissinger has been a long-time Davos participant alongside WEF leadership, engaging in private dinners and sessions that shape geopolitical strategies.

Since 1980

Natan Sharansky

opposed

Sharansky viewed Kissinger's détente policy as immoral because it deprioritized human rights; Kissinger famously advised President Ford not to meet with Solzhenitsyn, a stance Sharansky and the Refuseniks bitterly opposed.

Since 1974

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