Henry Kissinger Net Worth: Why Did Kissinger Get the Nobel Peace Prize?

By Joseph Last updated Jun 18, 2022

Throughout the entirety of President Nixon’s and President Ford’s administrations, Henry Kissinger held the positions of Secretary of State and National Security Advisor.

In 1938, he and his family were forced to leave Nazi Germany. He later worked in the Nixon administration as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State.

Kissinger was given the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize for his part in negotiating a cease-fire in Vietnam. This was controversial, and two members of the committee quit in protest.

They are a Realist. Between 1969 and 1977, Kissinger had a big impact on how the United States dealt with other countries. During this time, he was the first U.S. president to have a policy of détente with Russia. He also helped China open up to the rest of the world and worked on the Paris Peace Accords, which ended American involvement in Vietnam.

Kissinger is also linked to other controversial policies, such as the United States’ involvement in the 1973 Chilean military coup, giving the “green light” to Argentina’s military junta for their “Dirty War,” and helping Pakistan during the Bangladesh Liberation War, even though Pakistan was committing genocide.

After he left the government, he started Kissinger Associates, a business that advises on international geopolitics. Kissinger is known for writing a lot. He has written more than a dozen books on diplomatic history and international affairs.

Early Years

Heinz A. Kissinger was born on May 27, 1923, in Furth, Bavaria. (In the Weimar Republic of Germany at the time). Heinz’s parents were middle-class, and they taught him to love soccer when he was young.

He progressed into a talented player, and at one point he was chosen for the young squad of SpVgg Furth, which is one of the most well-known teams in Germany. After going through this event, Kissinger became a lifelong supporter of the team.

When Heinz was 15 years old, his family was forced to leave Germany due to the growing antisemitism in that country. Kristallnacht, popularly known as “the night of the broken glass,” was a violent demonstration against Jews in Germany that had been instigated not long ago by the Nazi party.

Henry Heinz changed his name to Henry after arriving in New York City, and then he spent one year in high school before beginning his career as a factory worker.

He attended night classes during his senior year of high school, and then continued his studies at the college level, majoring in accounting.

Military Career

His post-secondary education was cut short when he was drafted into the United States Army during World War 2, even though Kissinger was a brilliant student. At the age of twenty, Henry became a naturalized citizen of the United States while he was serving in the army.

Due to his quick wit and proficiency in German, he was moved from his original assignment in the 84th Infantry Division to the Military Intelligence branch. Kissinger participated in the Battle of the Bulge even though he was an intelligence officer for much of his career.

Among his other achievements are the uncovering of a Gestapo informant cell and the administration of an entire German city while he was still only a private. After some time, he worked his way up to the position of Special Agent within the Counter Intelligence Corps and eventually departed the army having been awarded the Bronze Star.

Academic Career

Kissinger obtained an AB in political science from Harvard in 1950 after quitting the service. He earned his MA and Ph.D. from Harvard in 1954. Henry stayed at Harvard and founded the Center for International Affairs. He directed studies on nuclear weapons and foreign policy, believing that the U.S. should aggressively deploy nuclear weapons to win conflicts.

Kissinger started actively in presidential elections as Nelson Rockefeller’s foreign policy adviser. Kissinger shifted allegiances when Nixon beat Rockefeller for the Republican candidacy, despite declaring him “the most dangerous man to be president”

Political Career

Nixon appointed Henry Kissinger as National Security Adviser in 1969. Both men became close as they transformed the world with their foreign policy. Kissinger influenced international policy more than the State Department. Nixon’s successor kept Kissinger as National Security Adviser when Nixon resigned over Watergate in 1974.

Kissinger helped achieve detente and establish strong Soviet connections. He helped establish a ceasefire in Vietnam, but it didn’t last.

Nixon and Mao could speak through a backchannel he created. Diplomatic progress was difficult because China wanted to eliminate Taiwan, which is considered illegitimate. Nixon negotiated Taiwan’s removal from the UN. US and China formed an anti-Soviet partnership.

Nixon and Kissinger agreed on Vietnam. Nixon was elected on the promise of ending the conflict, whereas Henry thought Vietnam’s successes were irrelevant. All initiatives to build “peace with honor” in Vietnam failed.

A sluggish evacuation of US troops began, and Kissinger once suggested using ruthless force to compel a truce. While that idea was rejected, the administration illegally bombed Cambodia.

Nixon suggested increasingly harsh tactics, and the US invaded Cambodia. Kissinger secured a truce after years of covert meetings with Lê c Th. South Vietnamese friends rejected the pact as a betrayal. Nixon intimidated Nguyn Văn This into accepting the deal, and the US withdrew. Vietnam was under Communist rule soon after Saigon fell.

Kissinger’s political actions centered on Vietnam, but he also set foreign policy for other governments. He backed Pakistan versus Bangladesh. He staged a military coup in Chile, establishing a US-friendly president. These are his political actions.

Personal Life

Henry’s twice married. 1949-1964: He was married to Anne Fleischer. David and Elizabeth, their children. David left NBC in 2005 to become Conan O’Brien’s Conaco president.

The couple married in 1974. Nancy’s father Al Maginnes was a professional football player in the 1920s and a lawyer for more than three decades.

Henry Kissinger’s Net Worth

The American diplomat and political scientist Henry Kissinger have a net worth of $50 million. Kissinger first came to the United States as a political refugee who was afraid of being killed because he was Jewish in Bavaria.

He eventually became a naturalized citizen, and after serving in the army, he went on to become one of the most influential politicians and advisors of the late 20th century. He was one of the people who spoke up the most about US foreign policy when Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford were in office.

Real Estate

The Kissingers own NYC and CT properties. Realtors still refer to “The Henry Kissinger Estate” in Palm Springs, California.

In Kent, Connecticut, they possess 300 acres. The Kissingers outraged residents when they ripped down thousands of blueberry bushes that had been plucked for years. Henry’s security staff removed the bushes to deter intruders.

They own an exquisite apartment in New York’s River House building. The co-op is cautious about who can purchase. Diane Keaton, Richard Nixon, Joan Crawford, and Gloria Vanderbilt were rejected.

Bylaws forbid using the building’s name in real estate listings. The building’s “River Club” is limited to 400 men and women and costs $10,000 a year to join. The club contains a pool, two championship tennis courts, a dining room, a ballroom, and 26 guest suites. Based on comparable recent sales, the Kissinger unit could bring $15-20 million.

Frequently Ask Question

What Was Henry Kissinger’s role in the Vietnam War?

When Kissinger became president in 1969, he favored a negotiating plan in which the US and North Vietnam would sign an armistice and agree to pull their troops out of South Vietnam, while the South Vietnamese government and the Viet Cong would agree to a coalition government.

What Is Henry Kissinger Most Famous for?

Kissinger won the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize for mediating a truce in Vietnam. Two committee members resigned in protest. Kissinger, a Realpolitik practitioner, led U.S. foreign policy from 1969 to 1977.

Why Did Kissinger Get the Nobel Peace Prize?

Henry A. Kissinger and Le Duc Tho were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 “for jointly having negotiated a cease-fire in Vietnam in 1973.” The citation for the award read: “for jointly having negotiated a cease-fire in Vietnam in 1973.”