Henry Kissinger, a pivotal figure who shaped US foreign policy in the 20th century and was characterized as a “war criminal” by some, has passed away. The consultancy firm Kissinger Associates announced the death of the 100-year-old statesman at his Connecticut residence, indicating that he will be laid to rest in a private ceremony among family members. Additionally, a memorial service honoring Kissinger is set to take place in New York at a later date.
Born in 1923, Henry Kissinger fled Nazi Germany with his family, settling in the United States in 1938 and later becoming a naturalized US citizen at the age of 20. Serving as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State during the tenure of US President Richard Nixon, Kissinger notably played a significant role in the carpet bombing in Cambodia during the Vietnam War in 1969. This act led to severe criticism, branding him a “war criminal” due to the devastation that resulted in the loss of thousands of civilian lives and the occupation of southern Vietnam.