Life and times of Henry Kissinger 

As National Security Advisor and Secretary
of State, Henry Kissinger significantly influenced U.S. foreign policy from 1969 to 1976 under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford

 
May 27, 1923: Heinz Alfred Kissinger born in Fuerth, Germany

1938: Kissinger’s family immigrates to U.S. to escape Nazi persecution of Jews

1943: Naturalised as U.S. citizen – serves in U.S. Army during World War II and in postwar U.S. military government of Germany

1949: Marries Ann Fleischer, with whom he has two children, Elizabeth and David
                      
1954: Obtains doctorate in History, Philosophy and International Relations from Harvard University

1955-68: Serves as consultant on security and strategic policy during administrations of Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy (inset), and Lyndon B. Johnson

1960s: Earns reputation as ladies’ man in 10 years between divorce, and marriage to socialite Nancy Maginnes.
“Henry the Kiss” often seen at parties with glamorous companions such as Jill St John (above) and Zsa Zsa Gabor.
Famously says “power is the greatest aphrodisiac”

1968: Appointed by President Richard Nixon as assistant for national security affairs

1969: Détente with Soviet Union leads to Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)

1969-70: Advocates hard-line policy of bombing neutral Cambodia and Laos to cut off supplies to North Vietnam during Vietnam War

1971: Pulls off diplomatic coup, making two secret trips to China to meet Communist leader Premier Zhou Enlai, paving way for normalisation of relations

Feb 1972: Nixon becomes first U.S. president to visit China, meeting Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong and Zhou

1973: Awarded Nobel Prize with North Vietnamese leader Lê Đức Thọ for negotiating end of Vietnam War. Appointed Secretary of State while remaining National Security Advisor under Nixon and then Gerald Ford. Negotiates end to Arab-Israeli war
        
1977: Leaves office after Ford’s defeat                                                     
       
1980s: Returns to public life to head President Ronald Reagan’s national commission on Central America and later advise on foreign affairs. Launches Kissinger Associates – geopolitical risk-evaluation consultancy for corporate clients

2001: Kissinger comes under fire for his role in 1973 military coup in Chile. Declassified CIA documents reveal he urged President Nixon to overthrow democratically elected government of President Salvador Allende (above)
  
Nov 2002: Appointed by President George W. Bush to head special inquiry to establish whether U.S. intelligence could have prevented 9/11 terrorist attacks

Dec: Abruptly resigns, informing President Bush that he cannot serve if he has to reveal clients of Kissinger Associates

2016: Advises President-elect Donald Trump on key appointments. Kissinger positions himself as intermediary between Kremlin and Trump administration
  
Nov 29, 2023: Kissinger dies at his home in Connecticut at age 100
   

Sources: CBS News, National Security Archive, New York Times, Politico 
Pictures: Getty Images 
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