Why do people hate Henry Kissinger? Carpet bombing meaning and Cambodia war crimes explored

Henry Kissinger, the polarizing US diplomat blamed for the most grotesque war crimes during his reign as national security adviser and secretary of state under the Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford administrations, died at the age of 100 on Wednesday, Nov. 29.

The news of Kissinger’s death was met with divisive reactions across the world, leading social media users to wonder why he was so fiercely hated by many. Kissinger, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and also condemned as a war criminal, was a polarizing fixture in American politics.

Why do people hate Henry Kissinger? byu/jackbray200 inNoStupidQuestions

According to Yale University historian Greg Grandin, author of the biography Kissinger’s Shadow, Kissiger’s foreign policies, while lauded by political and media organizations, were also condemned by people, as his decisions left at least four million people dead. Henry Kissinger also managed to evade legal repercussions for his crime.

Kissinger’s actions from 1969 to 1976, as Nixon’s and Gerald Ford’s foreign policy adviser, led to the extension of the Vietnam War, the carpet bombing of Cambodia and providing arms to Pakistan to wage war against the Bengalis struggling against an oppressive army. Kissinger was also accused of enabling Indonesia’s bloodshed in East Timor.

Among the extensive lists of Kissinger's policies, the carpet bombing in Cambodia is considered the most egregious of his crimes.

Kissinger was directly responsible for the deaths of 350,000 to 500,000 Cambodians killed by American bombs, including cluster bombs that continue to claim civilian lives in the war-torn country.

The inconceivable death toll stemming from unjustified bombings led people to despise the controversial diplomat despite prominent politicians often glorifying his actions that involved deliberately perpetuating wars at a great human cost.

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Exploring Henry Kissinger's role in carpet bombing Cambodia

Carpet bombing is a bombing strategy that targets and covers every part of a large area.

The seemingly inhumane tactic that has become less acceptable over the years involved relentlessly dropping bombs in an area to annihilate the perceived enemy camp’s infrastructure, including military structures, transportation, communication channels, hospitals, etc. That's done in an attempt to destroy the enemy's ability to wage war.

According to the Huffington Post, Henry Kissinger, accused as the chief architect of the plan to carpet bomb Cambodia, reportedly came up with a secret campaign titled “Operation Menu,” to disrupt communist North Vietnamese operations along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, which cut across Cambodia’s east.

Before the American bombing of Cambodia, which gained independence from its French colonial masters in 1953, the country was considered an Island of Peace by then-leader Prince Norodom Sihanouk, under whom, the country reportedly thrived.

During the Vietnam War waged by the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its ally, the United States, Sihanouk declared Cambodia would remain neutral. However, North Vietnam, using a series of trails running through Vietnam and Cambodia to transport weapons, supplies and reinforcements, prompted the US to disrupt the supply line.

The “Operation Menu” campaign launched in 1969 under Richard Nixon's presidency reportedly contained bombing strategies representing different targets in Cambodia.

A series of bombings were conducted by the United States against Cambodia from March 1969 to May 1970, which led to the deaths of 50,000 civilians. The remnants of cluster munitions continue to plague the country.

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The impact of Henry Kissinger's bombing campaign in Cambodia

Henry Kissinger’s bombing campaign led to the destabilization of Cambodia, which was subsequently plagued with civil wars leading to the rise of the murderous regime, Khmer Rouge, in 1975.

While Kissinger was accused of war crimes by the public, including US citizens, he was not tried in court for his actions that left a devastating death toll.

Shortly after Henry Kissinger departed from power in 1976, the bloodshed trailing in his wake did not taint his reputation.

According to Yale University historian Greg Grandin, Kissinger was considered a friend by many political figures, including Hilary Clinton, who while reviewing one of his many books, wrote that she relied on his counsel.

Hilary Clinton wasn’t alone in her admiration. According to the Huffington Post, Henry Kissinger advised President Barack Obama more than once. Kissinger was also a private adviser to George Bush and a consultant to Dick Cheney, the architect of the Iraq War.