Henry Kissinger as Contested Historical Icon in Post-9/11 Debates on US Foreign Policy

Abstract:This article analyzes the role of historical memories of Henry Kissinger, former US national security advisor and secretary of state in the Nixon and Ford administrations, in post-9/11 foreign policy debates in the United States. It argues that the Kissinger of the Cold War has become a historical icon and an important point of reference for many in the twenty-first century who seek to shape popular American understandings of contemporary international affairs. Furthermore, it argues that an analysis of Kissinger is useful in understanding how historical figures can utilize their own celebrity to steer the popular remembrance and deployment of memories of themselves.