Henry Alfred Kissinger Biography and Timeline

Birth of Henry Alfred Kissinger

Birth of Henry Alfred Kissinger

Barmitzvah

Celebrates his Jewish coming of age under the Nazi regime

Emigration

Enters the USA

Exile of Henry Alfred Kissinger

Leaves Germany with his parents for the United States

Naturalization

Becomes a naturalized US citizen

Education

BA Degree Summa Cum Laude at Harvard College

Education

MA Degree at Harvard University

Education

PhD Degree at Harvard University

Rockefeller Brothers Fund

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

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"

Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy

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

Harvard

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

The Necessity for Choice: Prospects of American Foreign Policy

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

Consultant

Appointed Consultant to the Department of State

Role range: 1965-1968

The Troubled Partnership: A Reappraisal of the Atlantic Alliance

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

Acts as one of a series of intermediaries between Washington and Hanoi

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

Role range: 1960-1975

Meeting with Soviet Ambassador Dobrynin & proposes a negotiating

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

Role range: 1960-1975

Election

Kissinger signs on as an adviser to Richard Nixons presidential campaign

Vietnamization

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

Role range: 1960-1975

Withdrawal Negotiations

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

Role range: 1960-1975

National Security Adviser

Appointed National Security Adviser

War Statement

Puplishes article in "Foreign Affairs"

Role range: 1960-1975

Alliance Agreement

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.

Role range: 1968-1974

Alliance United States and China

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

Role range: 1968-1974

Kissinger's diplomacy leads to economic and cultural exchanges between the two sides

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

Role range: 1968-1974

Makes two trips to the People's Republic of China in July and

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.

Role range: 1968-1974

Summit Meeting

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.

Role range: 1968-1974

Negotiations

Nixon announce Kissinger has been secretly negotiating for peace in Paris

Role range: 1960-1975 – 1973-1977

Secretary of State

Appointed Secretary of State

Role range: 1968-1974 – 1973-1977

Negotiations

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

Role range: 1960-1975 – 1973-1977

Broadcast

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

Role range: 1960-1975 – 1973-1977

Conference of Paris

Negotiates the Paris Peace Settlement with Le Duc Tho

Role range: 1960-1975 – 1973-1977

Conference of TV

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

Role range: 1960-1975 – 1973-1977

Negotiations

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

Role range: 1960-1975 – 1973-1977

Negotiations

Negotiates the Paris Peace Settlement with Le Duc Tho

Role range: 1960-1975 – 1973-1977

Conference of Paris

The Paris Peace Agreement is signed

Role range: 1960-1975 – 1973-1977

Peace

Hanoi & Washington impose an agreement on Saigon

Role range: 1960-1975 – 1973-1977

Peace

The Paris Peace Agreement is signed

Role range: 1960-1975 – 1973-1977

Peace

Makes a peace agreement with Le Duc Tho

Role range: 1960-1975 – 1973-1977

Peace

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

Role range: 1960-1975 – 1973-1977