Henry Kissinger

Henry Alfred Kissinger, born Heinz Alfred Kissinger on May 27, 1923, is an American diplomat, political scientist, geopolitical consultant, and politician. He served as United States secretary of state and national security advisor under the presidential administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Kissinger is known for his role in negotiating a ceasefire in Vietnam, for which he received the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize. A Jewish refugee who fled Nazi Germany in 1938, Kissinger excelled academically and graduated from Harvard College in 1950. He earned his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard University in 1951 and 1954, respectively. Kissinger played a prominent role in United States foreign policy, pioneering the policy of détente with the Soviet Union and opening relations with the People's Republic of China.