In this controversial and monumental book— arguably his most important—Henry Kissinger illuminates just what diplomacy is. Moving from a. sweeping overview of his own interpretation of nf his negotiations with world leaders, Kissinger describes the ways in which the art of diplomacy and the balance of, power have created the world we live in, and shows how Americans, protected by the size and isolation of their country, as well as by their own idealism and mistrust of the Old World, have sought to conduct a unique kind of foreign policy based on the way they wanted the world to be, as opposed to the way it really is. Spanning more than three centuries of history, from Cardinal Richelieu, the father of the modern state system, to the “New World Order,” in which we live, Kissinger demonstrates how modern diplomacy emerged from the trials and experi- ences of the balance of power of warfare and peacemaking, and why America, sometimes to its peril, refused to learn its lessons. His intimate portraits of world leaders, includ- ing de Gaulle, Nixon, Chou Enlai, Mao Tsetung, Reagan, and Gorbachev, based on personal expe- rience and knowledge, provide the reader with a rare window on diplomacy at the summit, togeth- er with a wealth of detailed and original observa- tions on the secret negotiations, grcat events, and the art of statesmanship that have shaped our lives in the decades before, during and since Henry Kissinger was himself at the center of things. Analyzing the differences in the national styles of diplomacy, Kissinger shows how various soc eties produce special ways of conducting foreign policy, and how Americans, from the very begin ning, sought a distinctive foreign Policy based on insights and with examples from his own exper ence. as well as with candid accounts of his breakthrough diplomatic initiatives as Nixon's for- eign policy partner. Informed by deep historical knowledge, wit, a gift for irony, and a unique understanding of the forces that bind and sunder nations, Kissinger’s Diplomacy is must reading for anyone who cares about America’s position in the world. HENRY ALFRED KISSINGER was sworn in on September 22, 1973, as the fifty-sixth Secretary of State, a position he held until January 20, 1977. He also served as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs from January 20, 1969, ‘until November 3, 1975. Among the awards Dr. Kissinger has received have been the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973; the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the nation’s high- est civilian award) in 1977; and the Medal of Liberty in 1986. Dr. Kissinger was born in Firth, Germany, came to the United States in 1938 and was naturalized a United States citizen in 1943. He served in the Army from 1943 to 1946. He graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College in 1950. From 1954 until 1969 he was a member of the faculty of Harvard University. He was Director of the Harvard International Seminar from 1952 to 1969. Dr. Kissinger is married to the former Nancy Maginnes and is the father of two children by a Jacket design Bernadette Evangelist copyright © 1994 by Robert Anthony, In. Front jacket photo courtesy of Culver Pictures Back iacket photo courtesy of Chinese Press Photo Printed in the US.A. Copyright © 1994 Simon & Schuster 04943500 |