Henry Kissinger, a biography written by Walter Isaacson

Walter Isaacson's biography covers Henry Kissinger's life. It provides insights into Kissinger's life, from his childhood in Bavaria, Germany, to his rise as a prominent political figure in the United States. Kissinger's father was a teacher, and his mother was a student at the university where his father taught. In 1938, his family moved to New York City, where his mother started a catering business. Kissinger attended high school and worked at a paintbrush factory. After graduating, he joined the Army and served in the intelligence corps. When the program was discontinued, he was reassigned to the 84th inter-infantry, where he was tasked with rooting out Nazi sympathizers.

In Germany, Kissinger met his first wife, Ann Fleisher. They married in 1949 and had two children, David and Elizabeth Kissinger. Kissinger attended Harvard, earned a Ph.D. in political science, and became a tenured professor. He wrote the most protracted thesis in Harvard's history and worked with the Permanent Forum of Foreign Relations and the Rockefeller Foundation. Kissinger grew close to Gov. Rockefeller, whose campaign he helped run.

Kissinger's most significant contribution to the political field was authoring the book on arms control. He also served as Richard Nixon's Secretary of State for several years. Interestingly, he had an easier time building good relationships with non-allies, such as China. He authorized several U-2 intelligence-gathering missions and played an essential role in expanding the Vietnam War. Kissinger strongly believed in the balance of power and spheres of influence and was incredibly subservient to Richard Nixon, even though he privately did not respect him.

Kissinger wiretapped a substantial number of his perceived enemies and was even known to wiretap his aides when they left the White House. Of course, wiretapping was pervasive during the Nixon years. Kissinger felt that going through normal channels would slow things down, which frustrated the State Department and complicated the back-channel negotiations Nixon and Kissinger pursued. This came to a head when the leader of the South Vietnamese faction stopped trusting Kissinger and wished to punch him physically.

Kissinger was also indirectly responsible for the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia. He was known to be a womanizer, and the White House often used attractive women to give him lousy news. However, the book also states that he eventually dated Barbara Walters. After his first wife divorced him, he often dated Jill St. John, an actor with whom he grew close and who introduced him to influential people in Hollywood. The most notable theme was the director of The Godfather. He started a consulting firm that connected several businesses with influential people in foreign governments and helped them obtain licenses they otherwise could not get because of bureaucratic red tape.

Kissinger was instrumental in opening China and was well known for shuttle diplomacy. He strongly believed in spheres of influence. He believed every conflict he tried to negotiate was somehow tied to Russia, since he served as Secretary of State during the Cold War. This biography highlights how complex. He believed that a person can be. Kissinger's life is a testament to his ability to achieve his goals efficiently while keeping important things close to his chest, which can be positive and negative, depending on the situation. In conclusion, no matter what Henry Kissinger has done in his life, I think the one inescapable belief about him is his influence on the political landscape of the United States and world affairs.