2009 JAMES A. VAN FLEET AWARD

The Honorable HENRY A. KISSINGER

56th Secretary of State

The United States of America

CITATION

Dr. Henry A. Kissinger has dedicated a lifetime to the cause of diplomacy and to the advancement of America’s interests throughout the world.  Through his service to his country, including as 56th Secretary of State, through his work as an educator and scholar, as an advisor to presidents, as a prize-winning author, and as a private citizen and commentator, Dr. Kissinger has left his mark on U.S. foreign policy and America’s place in the world.

As National Security Advisor and Secretary of State, Dr. Kissinger grappled with some of the greatest challenges in the history of American foreign policy. In doing so he helped achieve détente with the Soviet Union, negotiated the end of a bloody conflict in Southeast Asia, and ended the Yom Kippur War between Israel and its neighbors.

His role as the architect of the opening to China is regarded by many as his most remarkable achievement and one that altered the course of history. The cooperative relationship the United States and China enjoy today and the prospect that U.S.-PRC ties will become even stronger and more comprehensive in the years to come is in no small measure the result of his vision and the strong foundation hroe helped lay.  Today, the United States faces a diplomatic and security challenge on the Korean Peninsula that is both complex and dangerous. Dr. Kissinger has been an active and important contributor to efforts to encourage North Korea to take the path of cooperation and dialogue as a way of resolving differences with the United States and its neighbors.

For his lifetime of commitment to diplomacy, for his record of achievement on behalf of America and its interests, for his role in reshaping U.S.-China relations, and for his commitment to resolving the challenges to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, The Korea Society is honored to present Dr. Henry A. Kissinger with the 2009 Van Fleet Award.