Farewell To Henry Kissinger

During America's Nixon and Ford Administrations Henry Kissinger was first the National Security Advisor and then the Secretary of State as well. In America the position of Secretary of State involves dealing with other countries and is what most countries would call a foreign minister.

Henry Kissinger is controversial, at least as much so as Nixon. His diplomatic accomplishments are beyond doubt. He secretly visited China and set up Nixon's visit the following year, which was 1972. This really changed the world by establishing diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China. As I watched the news of Nixon meeting with Chairman Mao in the Great Hall of the People, when I was eleven years old, I had no idea that this would be one of the most important things I would ever witness. It is why "Made In China" is to be seen everywhere today.

Kissinger also negotiated a truce in the Vietnam War, which ended America's involvement. It was a joyous occasion, although I think a lot of people suspected that the truce wasn't going to last forever.

Aside from these two accomplishments Kissinger is so controversial because of the death and destruction brought about by America's allies. It was the height of the Cold War and Kissinger's reason for being was to oppose Communism. It was acceptable if some of America's allies were brutal and dictatorial as long as their brutality was directed against Communism. Death and destruction were unfortunate but acceptable for the greater good of stopping Communism.

Kissinger's 1976 tour of Africa was especially controversial, although it didn't involve immediate bloodshed. Some African nations were moving toward black majority rule and Kissinger's visits to their white leaders came across as support for their continued rule. Kissinger gave many the impression that he didn't really care about Africa in itself, except as a potential theater of operations against Communism. His concern was that black African rulers might be more receptive to Communism.

What I want to point out is the investigation "36) RICHARD NIXON'S LIST OF ENEMIES" in the compound posting "Investigations", December 2018. This investigation is about three assassinations of national leaders in far corners of the world. It appears that the assassinations couldn't possibly have anything to do with each other, and all happened after the end of Nixon's presidency. But I noticed that the three national leaders did have one thing in common. They had all gotten on the wrong side of Richard Nixon. I do not have any evidence that Henry Kissinger had any involvement in these assassinations, and I never thought of him when I wrote that, but this is significant to anyone with an interest in the Nixon-Kissinger era.

Other investigations in that compound posting are 7) NIAGARA FALLS AND THE MOON LANDING, 9) THE REAL BATMAN and, 59) THE LONG TERM PLAN OF CHAIRMAN MAO.