Henry Kissinger and his influence on the Vietnam War

This bachelor's thesis focuses on Henry Kissinger's influence on the Vietnam War and examines his sub-moves, strategic decisions, diplomatic maneuvers, and behind-the-scenes dealings during the period 1969-1975, the period when Henry Kissinger began actively influencing the Vietnam War after his appointment as National Security Advisor in the administration of President Richard Nixon, up to the unification of Vietnam under the Communist regime. The purpose of this thesis is to identify how Henry Kissinger's specific actions affected the Vietnam War and how they influenced its end. The first part of the thesis examines Henry Kissinger's influence in the highest spheres of American diplomacy during his tenure as National Security Advisor and introduces the Vietnam War and its effects on the United States and Vietnam itself. It also establishes the theoretical basis, Henry Kissinger's classical realism. The second part of the thesis is a single case study that examines Kissinger's diplomatic tactics and his role in ending the war. This part also seeks to show how the world order has changed in the context of the end of the Vietnam conflict and to present the controversies surrounding Kissinger's role in the war. Based on these findings, the topic can be further developed with more detailed facts regarding casualties on both sides and comparisons of forces and resources, as well as the thesis can be used as a pillar for possible comparative analyses with other conflicts in which the US has figured.