Diplomat and advisor for US presidents Nixon and Ford who championed détente between the US and its Cold War adversaries; he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 for negotiating the US withdrawal from Vietnam, while also supporting authoritarian regimes.

• A. Henry Kissinger
• B. Zbigniew Brzezinski
• C. Henry A. Wallace
• D. George Shultz

Answer: (A)

Henry Kissinger fits this description. As national security adviser and later secretary of state for Nixon and Ford, he championed détente with the Soviet Union and with China, steering U.S. policy toward easing Cold War tensions. He played a central role in negotiating the Paris Peace Accords and guiding the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam, a milestone that earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973. His realpolitik approach also involved backing authoritarian regimes when he viewed them as necessary stabilizers in the international balance of power, a stance that sparked substantial criticism but reflected the era’s pragmatic view of diplomacy. The other figures held different roles or accomplishments that don’t align with this exact combination of détente advocacy, Vietnam withdrawal achievement, and Nobel recognition.