As controversial in death as in life: Tributes pour in for Henry Kissinger

Henry Kissinger has proven to be as divisive in death as in life, as the world reacts to his passing.

Tributes and statements have begun pouring in for the influential US diplomat after he died aged 100 at his Connecticut home on Wednesday.

Kissinger leaves behind a complex legacy, remembered as a master of global politics by some and an alleged war criminal by others.

As President Richard Nixon’s National Security Advisor, he was responsible for negotiating the US’s exit from the unpopular Vietnam War.

He won a Nobel Peace Prize for his diplomatic work – but his legacy was then tainted when it emerged he had authorised the secret carpet-bombing of neutral Cambodia, which killed at least 150,000 civilians.

Even after leaving his official diplomatic capacity, Kissinger’s influence didn’t wane and he continued to advise several administrations.

Here’s what world leaders, political allies, and foes are saying since his death.

George W Bush remembers ‘distinctive voice’ on foreign affairs

Former president George W Bush remembered Kissinger as “one of the most dependable and distinctive voices” on foreign affairs.

“America has lost one of the most dependable and distinctive voices on foreign affairs with the passing of Henry Kissinger. I have long admired the man who fled the Nazis as a young boy from a Jewish family, then fought them in the United States Army,” he said.

“When he later became Secretary of State, his appointment as a former refugee said as much about his greatness as it did America’s greatness.

“He worked in the Administrations of two Presidents and counseled many more. I am grateful for that service and advice, but I am most grateful for his friendship. Laura and I will miss his wisdom, his charm, and his humor. And we will always be thankful for the contributions of Henry Kissinger.”

China mourns death of ‘old friend’

Chinese officials, the state media, as well as many on social media in China, have paid tribute to Kissinger as an “old friend” of the nation.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin called Kissinger an “old friend and good friend of the Chinese people, and a pioneer and builder of China-US relations.”

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has also sent his condolences to President Joe Biden, the spokesperson added.

China News wrote in an obituary: “Today, this ‘old friend of the Chinese people,’ who had a sharp vision and a thorough understanding of world affairs, has completed his legendary life.”

CCTV, the state broadcaster, called Kissinger a “legendary diplomat” and a “living fossil” who had been a witness to the development of China-US relationship, as it broadcast archive footage of his first secret visit to China in 1971.

On Chinese social media on Thursday, many also mourned his passing, with a top comment on Weibo reading: “Farewell, old friend of the Chinese people.”

Kissinger is well-regarded in China after he became the first high-ranking US official to visit China in 1971, playing an integral role in building diplomatic relations between Beijing and Washington.

Richard Nixon’s daughters

Former president Richard Nixon’s children also paid tribute to his former national security adviser after his death on Wednesday.

“Dr. Kissinger played an important role in the historic opening to the People’s Republic of China and in advancing détente with the Soviet Union, bold initiatives which initiated the beginning of the end of the Cold War,” the Nixon daughters said in a statement.

“His ‘shuttle diplomacy’ to the Middle East helped to advance the relaxation of tensions in that troubled region of the world.”

Kissinger became Nixon’s National Security Advisor in 1968 and led the US’s withdrawal from Vietnam.

Cambodian scholars remember ‘controversial’ figure

Cambodian scholars have a different take on the late diplomat to that of many world leaders, instead remembering Kissinger for his controversies.

The head of the independent Documentation Center of Cambodia, Youk Chhang, described Kissinger’s legacy as “controversial.”

“Henry Kissinger’s bombing campaign likely killed hundreds of thousands of Cambodians — and set (a) path for the ravages of the Khmer Rouge,” Sophal Ear, a scholar at Arizona State University who studies Cambodia’s political economy, wrote on The Conversation.

“The cluster bombs dropped on Cambodia under Kissinger’s watch continue to destroy the lives of any man, woman or child who happens across them,” Sophal Ear wrote.

A Rolling Stone magazine headline also referred to Kissinger as a “war criminal”.

“Henry Kissinger, war criminal beloved by America’s ruling class, finally dies,” it reads.

Benjamin Netanyahu says Kissinger’s death ‘marks the end of an era’

Netanyahu calls Kissinger’s death ‘end of an era’

“It is with a heavy heart that I mourn the passing of a great statesman, scholar, and friend, Dr. Henry Kissinger, who left us at the age of 100,” Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.

“Dr. Kissinger’s departure marks the end of an era, one in which his formidable intellect and diplomatic prowess shaped not only the course of American foreign policy but also had a profound impact on the global stage,” he said.

“Henry Kissinger was not just a diplomat; he was a thinker who believed in the power of ideas and the importance of intellectual capital in public life. His contributions to the field of international relations and his efforts in navigating some of the most challenging diplomatic terrains are a testament to his extraordinary capabilities.

“As we bid farewell to this giant of a man, I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and admirers around the world. His legacy will continue to inspire and guide future generations of leaders and diplomats. May his memory be a blessing.”

Born in Bavaria, Kissinger famously spent his childhood living under Nazi rule before his family fled to New York City to escape the Holocaust.

This experience stayed with him and he often recalled the antisemitic abuse he and his family faced during their time living in Nazi-occupied Europe.

A few years after his escape, the then 22-year-old US Army Sergeant helped to liberate a Nazi concentration camp in Ahlem.