The Trial of Henry Kissinger Summary

What if one of the most celebrated diplomats of the twentieth century has a history laced with war crimes, regime overthrows, and mass atrocities? Christopher Hitchens challenges us to confront this question in The Trial of Henry Kissinger.

1. Sabotaging Peace for Personal Ambition

Henry Kissinger's covert actions prolonged the Vietnam War, driven by his self-interest. In 1968, as Lyndon B. Johnson sought an end to the war through peace talks in Paris, Kissinger, while ostensibly serving Johnson's team, betrayed him to align with Richard Nixon. This betrayal was fueled by Kissinger's belief that he could achieve a more lucrative position under Nixon’s administration.

The information Kissinger provided to Nixon about peace negotiations helped the Republican candidate sabotage the talks. Nixon persuaded South Vietnam to withdraw from the discussions, promising a better deal under his guidance. This shift contributed to Johnson's failure and Nixon’s ascension to the presidency. Kissinger, rewarded for his alliance, became Nixon’s National Security Advisor.

This betrayal had immense human costs. Kissinger’s ambition meant that the Vietnam War continued for another seven years, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands and deepening global turmoil during an already volatile era.

Examples

• Kissinger fed secret details of the peace talks to the Nixon campaign.
• South Vietnam pulled out of the talks due to Nixon’s manipulation.
• The prolonged war resulted in over 300,000 more deaths.

2. Orchestrating Violence in Vietnam and Indo-China

Kissinger was heavily involved in the planning of brutal military campaigns in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. These campaigns, notably Operations Speedy Express and Menu, took an enormous toll on civilian populations.

Operation Speedy Express led to the deaths of approximately 11,000 Vietnamese, though only 748 enemy weapons were found on the battlefield. This suggests that many casualties were innocent civilians, killed to inflate body counts. Operation Menu involved extensive bombing of Laos and Cambodia, countries that were officially neutral. This campaign violated international law and inescapably led to civilian casualties as high-altitude bombers carpet-bombed entire regions indiscriminately.

Despite the supposed military objectives, the campaigns mainly left devastation, destroying countless lives and communities.

Examples

• Operation Speedy Express resulted in more civilian than combatant deaths.
• Operation Menu killed an estimated 350,000 civilians in Laos.
• Cambodia endured 600,000 civilian fatalities due to Kissinger’s strategies.

3. Backing Atrocities in Bangladesh

Kissinger’s policies extended to supporting violent oppression. When Pakistan fought to suppress Bangladesh’s independence, Kissinger backed Pakistan's military regime. His motivations rested on maintaining the US-Pakistan alliance and its value as a diplomatic backchannel between the United States and China.

This support enabled Pakistan’s military to unleash a campaign of genocide against Bangladesh’s civilians. Over three million Bangladeshis were killed, and horrific acts such as rape and mutilation were common. Even after Bangladesh’s fight for freedom succeeded, Kissinger supported a coup that aligned with his policies and weakened the new nation.

By prioritizing geopolitical interests over human life, Kissinger contributed to one of the twentieth century’s bloodiest conflicts.

Examples

• Supported Pakistan’s military with weapons during the Bangladesh genocide.
• Over 3 million were killed, with numerous human rights abuses documented.
• US-backed coup enabled instability in Bangladesh.

4. Engineering Pinochet’s Rise in Chile

Kissinger played an instrumental role in replacing Chilean democracy with Augusto Pinochet’s brutal dictatorship. After Salvador Allende, a Marxist, was democratically elected in 1970, the US administration sought to remove him. Kissinger spearheaded efforts to sabotage Allende's rule.

To achieve this, Kissinger plotted to remove General Schneider, a Chilean officer who opposed military interference in government. Schneider was subsequently assassinated using CIA-provided weapons. With him gone, a coup led by Pinochet unfolded in 1973, resulting in the death of Allende and widespread persecutions. Under Pinochet, thousands of political dissidents were tortured, killed, or disappeared.

Kissinger maintained his alliance with Pinochet throughout these atrocities, embodying a willing complicity in Chile’s suffering.

Examples

• Oversaw the CIA’s supply of weaponry to coup plotters in Chile.
• Schneider was assassinated to facilitate Pinochet’s rise.
• Thousands were persecuted during Operation Condor under Pinochet’s dictatorship.

5. Supporting Genocide in East Timor

During a 1975 meeting in Jakarta, Kissinger tacitly approved Indonesia’s invasion of East Timor, a move that led to devastating consequences. The occupation resulted in the deaths of 200,000 people, nearly a third of East Timor’s population.

Although Kissinger later downplayed his involvement, documents revealed that he not only condoned the invasion but also increased US arms support to Indonesia. These weapons were used in the invasion and subsequent massacres, in direct violation of US laws on the use of military supplies.

Kissinger’s policies here demonstrate a recurring pattern of prioritizing state alliances and personal influence over the welfare of oppressed populations.

Examples

• Authorized Indonesia’s use of US military equipment for invasions.
• Ignored reports of massacres and human rights violations in East Timor.
• Publicly denied involvement despite documentary evidence to the contrary.

6. Profiting from Past Alliances

After leaving public office, Kissinger leveraged his political networks for profit. His consultancy firm, Kissinger Associates, advised businesses seeking access to various global markets, even those in countries with questionable regimes.

For instance, Kissinger defended China after the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, lobbying against international sanctions. This alignment helped secure business opportunities for his clients. Similarly, after enabling Suharto’s East Timor invasion, he later profited through a mining venture in Indonesia, exploiting resources in the same region previously devastated by violence.

Kissinger’s post-political career reveals how his controversial policies served as stepping stones for personal financial gains.

Examples

• Defended China’s government after Tiananmen Square, aiding his business ties.
• Profited from a mining enterprise in Indonesia following years of military support.
• Transformed diplomatic relationships into profitable opportunities.

7. Overseeing Illegal Covert Operations

Kissinger chaired the 40 Committee, overseeing clandestine missions worldwide. This group supervised activities such as assassinations, coups, and covert bombings, all of which had questionable legal and ethical justification.

Under this committee, Kissinger directly influenced operations like Schneider’s assassination in Chile and the coup in Bangladesh. The bombings in Indochina also bear his direct approval. While public-facing diplomacy made headlines, these covert actions wrought destruction in silence.

Kissinger’s role illustrates that his power extended beyond official policy, penetrating murky realms of secret statecraft.

Examples

• Chaired a group orchestrating General Schneider’s killing.
• Approved secret bombing campaigns in Cambodia and Laos.
• Coordinated CIA-backed coup strategies in Bangladesh.

8. Escaping Accountability

Despite mounting evidence of war crimes, Kissinger has evaded legal consequences. International legal standards applied to other leaders have spared Kissinger, due largely to his American nationality and status.

For example, Japanese generals executed after World War II faced charges for strategies like Kissinger’s in Indochina. Yet the United States remains unwilling to apply these same principles to its own statesmen.

This double standard highlights structural hurdles to holding figures like Kissinger responsible for their actions.

Examples

• Japanese generals were tried and executed for similar war-related crimes.
• European courts periodically request information about Kissinger’s actions.
• The US consistently blocks investigations into his role in multiple atrocities.

9. Public Legacy Overlooks Atrocities

Kissinger remains celebrated as a skilled diplomat, an image cultivated through his realpolitik successes. From opening relations with China to negotiations in Vietnam, these achievements have overshadowed his darker actions.

His ability to frame himself as a pragmatic statesman has deflected criticism, enabling him to enjoy public praise while silencing discussions about his wrongdoing. However, as Christopher Hitchens argues, global awareness of these crimes may eventually alter Kissinger’s legacy.

Examples

• Credited for initiating US-China diplomatic ties while hiding dubious favors.
• Awarded the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize despite alleged Vietnam War sabotage.
• Rarely discusses his involvement in illicit operations and mass casualties.

Takeaways

1. Challenge public figures' reputations by critically examining their actions rather than accepting popular narratives.
2. Advocate for consistent application of international law, ensuring all perpetrators face justice, regardless of their nationality.
3. Investigate how current political leaders’ policies may have hidden motives or long-term personal benefits.