Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2023 December 12

Welcome to the Wikipedia Humanities Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is a transcluded archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

December 12

Why Henry Kissinger was given Nobel Peace Prize?

I recently saw many many media reports describing him as a war criminal.

Henry Kissinger, War Criminal Beloved by America’s Ruling Class, Finally Dies

Kissinger: A war criminal with a Nobel Peace Prize

Henry Kissinger: Nobel peace laureate, war criminal?

From Cambodia to Bangladesh: a brief history of Henry Kissinger’s alleged war crimes

Does it mean that powerful American politicians can win Nobel Peace Prize in spite of bombing other countries? 2409:40E1:1077:41E9:A406:1D95:D919:26F1 (talk) 04:59, 12 December 2023 (UTC)

I can't help thinking that the Nobel Committee must have been acting deliberately provocative. 1973 was the year of the Watergate scandal and in November Nixon was denied his right to veto on war matters. The average citizen woke up to the news everyday with the radio but just went commuting after, and in matter of the news the year 1973 was really a mess. Some guidance in moral affairs might have been considered better to be left to the controversy. --Askedonty (talk) 09:38, 12 December 2023 (UTC)

The Nobel Peace Prize 1973 was awarded jointly to Henry A. Kissinger and Le Duc Tho "for jointly having negotiated a cease fire in Vietnam in 1973".^[1] The Norwegian Nobel Committee does not make its deliberations public, and we can only speculate what they were thinking. See also Nobel Prize controversies § Peace/1973.  --Lambiam 10:16, 12 December 2023 (UTC)

You find one example of an American politician who did something, and you are making the claim that any and all American politicians do it and it is a terrible problem that must be fixed. It is one politician awarded after negotiating peace in a terrible war after many others failed to negotiate peace. 12.116.29.106 (talk) 13:12, 12 December 2023 (UTC)

First of all, there was massive fallout. People who objected included two members of the committee, the New York Times, Tom Lehrer, and many others. However, it is easy to overstate the importance of a current event, and, at the time, a lasting peace would have saved many lives. It's possible that they chose to overlook it, and it's easy to ignore something when there's a cover-up and you don't want to hear it. But that's just my thoughts. 71.112.180.130 (talk) 20:40, 12 December 2023 (UTC)

Ping @Xover (Norwegian) in case you know something. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 09:30, 13 December 2023 (UTC)

National Review says that although they knew that the Paris Agreement was only a shaky caesefire, the committee hoped the parties would “feel a moral responsibility” to see the agreement through, and presumably hoped that the prize would encourage the process. Alansplodge (talk) 16:43, 13 December 2023 (UTC)

Considering that both recipients effectively refused it, they could see how well it worked out. I recall that practically on the eve of the 1972 election, Kissinger said, "Peace is at hand." Not exactly. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:58, 14 December 2023 (UTC)

Kissinger was not president, but still he was so much powerful? Henry Kissinger’s role in Bengali massacre, The Bengali blood on Henry Kissinger’s hands.

Presumably he was acting on Nixon's behalf. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 15:20, 17 December 2023 (UTC)