Henry Kissinger | Born 1923

One of the most influential individuals who takes credit for shaping U.S. foreign policy is Henry Alfred Kissinger. He served as the adviser for national security affairs and secretary of state under the terms of Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. In 1973, Kissinger’s efforts toward making a peaceful settlement with Le Duc Tho of North Vietnam was recognized and he was awarded a Nobel Prize for Peace for it.

Kissinger’s family migrated to the United States back in 1938 to flee the Nazi persecution of Jews. He later enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II. After leaving the service, he acquired a degree from Harvard and eventually became a professor of government in the same institution. He also worked as a consultant pertaining to security matters for numerous U.S. agencies. Apart from the aforementioned award, Kissinger has also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Medal of Liberty.