American Experience

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	Henry Kissinger			32 of 41

Perhaps one of the most effective diplomats of modern times, Henry Kissinger successfully negotiated U.S. interests with his counterparts in the Soviet Union, the Middle East, and, most notably, China. In Vietnam, he advocated the bombing of Cambodia, but also helped develop Richard Nixon's "Vietnamization" policy, which called for the general removal of U.S. troops and their replacement by the South Vietnamese army. Kissinger was Nixon's national security advisor when he negotiated the Paris peace settlement in 1973; he won the Nobel Peace Prize, along with Le Duc Tho of North Vietnam (who rejected the award), for his efforts. Later, he served as Nixon's secretary of state, and held the position throughout the administration of Nixon's successor, Gerald R. Ford.