Born Heinz Alfred Kissinger on May 27, 1923 in Fuerth, Germany, Kissinger and his family, who were Jewish, fled to America in 1938 to escape the Nazi regime. Settled in New York, he became a naturalized citizen during World War II in 1943, and joined the U.S. Army, serving as a German interpreter from 1943-1946. He was awarded a Bronze Star in 1945 for his role in counterintelligence.

Following his military service, Kissinger attended Harvard University, where graduated summa cum laude in 1950, earning master's and PhD degrees from the university in 1952 and 1954. He then joined the Harvard faculty, where he worked from 1954 to 1969, serving as a government professor and associate director of the Department of Government and Center for International Affairs. During this time, he also consulted with the Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson administrations on national security issues.
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