Kissinger on Kissinger: Reflections on Diplomacy, Grand Strategy, and Leadership

by Winston Lord, Henry Kissinger

Overview

In a series of riveting interviews, America's senior statesman discusses the challenges of directing foreign policy during times of great global tension.

As National Security Advisor to Richard Nixon, Henry Kissinger transformed America's approach to diplomacy with China, the USSR, Vietnam, and the Middle East, laying the foundations for geopolitics as we know them today.

Nearly fifty years later, escalating tensions between the US, China, and Russia are threatening a swift return to the same diplomatic game of tug-of-war that Kissinger played so masterfully. Kissinger on Kissinger is a series of faithfully transcribed interviews conducted by the elder statesman's longtime associate, Winston Lord, which captures Kissinger's thoughts on the specific challenges that he faced during his tenure as NSA, his general advice on leadership and international relations, and stunning portraits of the larger-than-life world leaders of the era. The result is a frank and well-informed overview of US foreign policy in the first half of the 70s—essential reading for anyone hoping to understand tomorrow's global challenges.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250219442
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	05/14/2019
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	320,607
Product dimensions:	5.87(w) x 7.76(h) x 0.76(d)

About the Author

HENRY KISSINGER served as Secretary of State and National Security Advisor in the Nixon and Ford Administrations. He has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. As special assistant to the National Security Advisor and director of the State Department Policy Planning Staff, WINSTON LORD was at KISSINGER's side for all of his major diplomatic adventures. He later served as ambassador to China, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs. LORD is currently Chair Emeritus of the International Rescue Committee.

Table of Contents

Introduction Henry A. Kissinger ix

Foreword xiii

1 Statesmanship 1

2 Setting the Scene 12

3 Opening to China 25

4 The Nixon-Mao Summit 40

5 Seeking Stability with the Soviet Union 51

6 Searching for Peace in Vietnam 65

7 Breakthrough and the Paris Accords 75

8 Initial Advances in the Middle East 88

9 Negotiating Styles and Personal Profiles 101

10 The Foreign Policy Process 116

11 Strategy 130

Acknowledgments 139

Index 141

Editorial Reviews

Henry Kissinger stands out as a patriot, statesman, and strategic thinker. Winston Lord, who served me with distinction and has been called ‘Kissinger’s Kissinger,’ captures these qualities and more in this book. Kissinger on Kissinger will inform and inspire current and future generations.” —George P. Shultz, former U.S. Secretary of State

“This is a brilliant, timely, and invigorating book. In a series of oral history interviews, the only ones he has ever done, Henry Kissinger offers profound analysis and razor-sharp recollections that show the importance of strategic thinking in navigating global affairs. His lessons are not just about statecraft but also about the courage and character required for leadership.” —Walter S. Isaacson, author of Kissinger: A Biography

"The greatest virtue of this small book of reflections is to show that Henry Kissinger’s greatest legacies to his country are his patriotism, his conception of prudent but effective statecraft, and his unparalleled understanding of how the world works." —Francis P. Sempa, New York Journal of Books

"A frank, informative overview of U.S. foreign policy during the first half of the 1970s—essential reading for anyone hoping to understand today’s global challenges." —Foreign Service Journal

"Kissinger’s accounts of the strategies that he and U.S. President Richard Nixon pursued in a series of crucial events make for fascinating reading and serve as a timely reminder of what serious, farsighted diplomacy looks like." —Jessica T. Matthews, Foreign Affairs

From the Publisher