Learn about the incredible life of American diplomat Henry Kissinger, who passed away at the age of 100 on Wednesday:
* Born Heinz Alfred Kissinger in Furth, Germany on May 27, 1923, he endured anti-Semitic bullying as an Orthodox Jew. Fleeing Nazi Germany, his family resettled in New York in 1938, where he later became a naturalized American in 1943.
* During World War Two, Kissinger served in the U.S. Army’s 84th Infantry Division, working as a translator in intelligence operations and aiding in the capture of Gestapo members. He was honored with a Bronze Star.
* Following a successful career at Harvard University, Kissinger joined Richard Nixon’s administration as national security adviser in 1969 and continued in the role after Nixon’s resignation, also serving as secretary of state under Nixon and Gerald Ford.
* Kissinger played a pivotal role in several major global events of the 1970s, including the Vietnam War, the opening of diplomatic relations with China, U.S.-Soviet arms control talks, and strengthened ties between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
* The controversial 1973 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Kissinger and North Vietnam’s Le Duc Tho for their involvement in the Paris peace talks. Two Nobel committee members resigned over the decision, and Tho declined the award, citing the lack of achieved peace.
* Despite media speculation about his romantic life, Kissinger was linked with various actresses and personalities during his single years, but those who knew him denied the playboy image.
* Although his last role in a presidential administration was in 1977, Kissinger maintained a relationship with George W. Bush, heading a commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks before stepping down due to client confidentiality concerns.
* Declassified documents revealed that the Argentine military believed Kissinger had given approval for their “dirty war” against leftist dissidents. Musician Tom Lehrer famously remarked, “Political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.”
(Compiled by Bill Trott; Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
