Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger Dies at 100

Henry Kissinger, who served as Secretary of State under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, died on Wednesday at the age of 100. His death was announced by his consulting firm.

Key Details: Kissinger, a German-born academic, author, and statesman, was regarded as a central figure in U.S. foreign policy in the latter half of the 20th century. He was a joint Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1973 for ending U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, though his Cold War policies made him a controversial figure. Kissinger advocated "realpolitik", which is the idea of foreign policy being based on political considerations or practical objectives rather than on ideas or morality.

Key Quote: “Henry Kissinger…literally wrote the book on diplomacy,” said John Kerry in 2014, when he was Secretary of State. Kissinger “gave us the vocabulary of modern diplomacy, the very words ‘shuttle diplomacy’ and ‘strategic patience.’”

For Context: Kissinger's legacy as a powerful Secretary of State still resonates in relations with Russia, China and the Middle East. He began detente in Russia, helped open up relations with China, and assisted Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

How the Media Covered it: Kissinger's death was widely reported across the political spectrum, with many sources framing Kissinger as one of the most influential and polarizing diplomats in U.S. history. Left-rated outlets tended to frame Kissinger more negatively than right-rated sources did.