Henry Kissinger arrived in the U.S. as a young Jewish refugee and went on to serve as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State to Presidents Nixon and Ford. The consulting firm he founded has advised every U.S. president since. In this book, Abraham R. Wagner reveals how Kissinger used his knowledge of history and international relations to advocate a realpolitik approach to U.S. foreign policy. Through seven selected primary source documents, Wagner tracks how Kissinger became an iconic figure in international relations that polarized opinion during 1969 to 1977, a critical and controversial period of American history.

This book will be useful for students interested in American history and security studies, especially those with an interest in U.S. international relations during the latter years of the war in Vietnam.”