Henry Kissinger’s Impact on the 20th-Century World: A Perspective

Henry Kissinger, who died in 2023, is cited to have held significant political influence from 1969 to 1977, serving as the national security adviser and secretary of state under President Richard M. Nixon and later President Gerald R. Ford. He was often blamed for contributing to the United States’ controversial actions in Vietnam and for the death of a democratically elected socialist president in Chile. Still, he was also instrumental in reaching an agreement with Leonid Brezhnev that led to the emigration of Soviet Jews. His “realpolitik” approach to foreign policy is both praised and criticized, and many refer to him as an unscrupulous, Machiavellian figure. There are also concerns about a lack of education in medical schools regarding power abuse and sexual exploitation, and frustrations with health care institutions taking action to protect victims only after decades of pressure and costly litigation. It is also noted that a televised debate between Gov. Ron DeSantis and Gov. Gavin Newsom was seen as a demeaning experience. Education in ethics curriculums and taking the rights of the patients into account is called into action, and Kissinger is regarded as a monumental figure in Cold War history.

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