Henry Alfred Kissinger Biography

Birth of Henry Alfred Kissinger

Celebrates his Jewish coming of age under the Nazi regime

Enters the USA

Leaves Germany with his parents for the United States

Becomes a naturalized US citizen

BA Degree Summa Cum Laude at Harvard College

MA Degree at Harvard University

PhD Degree at Harvard University

Appointed Director of the Special Studies Project for the Rockefeller Brothers Fund from 1956 to 1958

Publishes, "Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy". Publishes, "A World Restored: Castlereagh, Metternich and the Restoration of Peace, 1812-1822"

Publishes, "Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy". Publishes, "A World Restored: Castlereagh, Metternich and the Restoration of Peace, 1812-1822"

Appointed Director of the Harvard Defence Studies Program from 1958 to 1971

Publishes, "The Necessity for Choice: Prospects of American Foreign Policy"

Appointed Consultant to the Department of State

Publishes, "The Troubled Partnership: A Reappraisal of the Atlantic Alliance"

Acts as one of a series of intermediaries between Washington and Hanoi in a peace initiative codenamed "Pennsylvania"

Kissinger signs on as an adviser to Richard Nixons presidential campaign

Nixon implements a policy of Vietnamization that aims to gradually withdraw US troops while expanding the combat role of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) so that it would be capable of independently defending South Vietnam

Nixon implements a policy of Vietnamization that aims to gradually withdraw US troops while expanding the combat role of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) so that it would be capable of independently defending South Vietnam

Meets Soviet Ambassador Dobrynin & proposes a negotiating channel with North Vietnam

Puplishes article in "Foreign Affairs"

Appointed National Security Adviser

Plays a crucial role in talks with Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai that concludes with a rapprochement between the two countries and the formation of a new strategic anti-Soviet Sino-American alliance.

Plays a crucial role in talks with Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai that concludes with a rapprochement between the two countries and the formation of a new strategic anti-Soviet Sino-American alliance

Kissinger's diplomacy leads to economic and cultural exchanges between the two sides and the establishment of Liaison Offices in the Chinese and American capitals & full normalization of relations with the People's Republic of China in 1979

Makes two trips to the People's Republic of China in July and October (the first of which is in secret) to confer with Premier Zhou Enlai, then in charge of Chinese foreign policy.

Paves the way for the groundbreaking 1972 summit between Nixon, Zhou, and Communist Party of China Chairman Mao Zedong, as well as the formalization of relations between the two countries, ending 23 years of diplomatic isolation and mutual hostility.

Kissinger TV press conference Oct. 26 - "peace is at hand"

Negotiates the Paris Peace Settlement with Le Duc Tho

Kissinger TV press conference Oct. 26 - "peace is at hand"

Kissinger TV press conference Oct. 26 - "peace is at hand"

Negotiates the Paris Peace Settlement with Le Duc Tho

Nixon announce Kissinger has been secretly negotiating for peace in Paris

Appointed Secretary of State

Kissinger flies to Saigon to secure President Thieus signature to a peace agreement. Kissinger claims "peace was at hand"

Awarded the Hope Award for International Understanding. Awarded the American Institute for Public Service Award

Shares the Nobel Peace Prize with Le Duc Tho for negotiating the Paris Peace Accords; Le Duc Tho declines the prize.

The Paris Peace Agreement is signed

Hanoi & Washington impose an agreement on Saigon

The Paris Peace Agreement is signed

Makes a peace agreement with Le Duc Tho

Provides for talks between Hanoi & Saigon which break up in April 1974. Makes provision for the release of US POWs & withdrawal of US forces from Vietnam

Negotiates between the United States, Soviet Union, Israel, and Arab states during the October War crisis.

Works to secure urgent American resupply for Israel.

Flies to Moscow for ceasefire talks with Soviet leaders.

Negotiates ceasefire terms with Leonid Brezhnev that lead to United Nations Security Council Resolution 338.

Supports Resolution 338 calling for a ceasefire and peace negotiations.

Begins postwar shuttle diplomacy between Israel and Arab states.

Attends the Geneva peace conference after the war.

Negotiations about the new settlement over Panama Canal starts, they eventually lead to Torrijos-Carter treaties and handing the Canal over to Panamanian control

Negotiations about the new settlement over Panama Canal starts, they eventually lead to Torrijos-Carter treaties and handing the Canal over to Panamanian control

Helps mediate the Egyptian-Israeli disengagement agreement after the October War.

Kissinger succeeds in bringing the Israelis & Egyptians to the negotiating table. Decides to send arms to support the FNLA in Angola

The Indonesian army responds with indiscriminate massacres, it is said that some 200,000 East Timorese lose their lives during the 24-year occupation, due to starvation and army massacres. Suharto discusses the invasion with Kissinger and President Ford in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, Ford and Kissinger make clear that US relations with Indonesia would remain strong

Decides to send arms to support the FNLA in Angola

Suharto discusses the invasion with Kissinger and President Ford in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, Ford and Kissinger make clear that US relations with Indonesia would remain strong

Kissinger succeeds in bringing the Israelis & Egyptians to the negotiating table

Kissinger, Rabin & Peres agree the withdrawal of Israel from Sinai

Kissinger is actively involved in negotiations regarding the Rhodesian Bush War. Kissinger, along with South Africas Prime Minister John Vorster, pressures Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith to hasten the transition to black majority rule in Rhodesia

During a meeting with Argentine Foreign Minister C‚sar Augusto Guzzetti, Kissinger assureds him that the United States is an ally.

During the campaign, Carter criticizes Kissinger, arguing he was "single-handedly" managing all of Americas foreign relations

but urges him to "get back to normal procedures" quickly before the US Congress reconvenes and imposes sanctions.

Kissinger takes a similar line as he had toward Chile when the Argentine military, led by Jorge Videla, topple the democratic Government of Isabel Peron and consolidate power, launching brutal reprisals and "disappearances".

Kissinger oversees the evacuation of servicemen from Thailand

Meets Vorster to discuss a resolution to the Rhodesian problem

Henry Kissinger has discussions with James Callaghan after his 10 day tour of Africa

Ian Smith announces aceptance of Kissingers 2 yr transition to black majority rule

Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Appointed to Georgetown Universitys Center for Strategic and International Studies

Publishes, "White House Years"

Awarded the Medal of Liberty

Publishes, "Diplomacy"