The Trials of Henry Kissinger

2002, Military and War  -   57 Comments
8.97
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Ratings: 8.97/10 from 115 users.

Part contemporary investigation and part historical inquiry, documentary follows the quest of one journalist in search of justice.

The film focuses on Christopher Hitchens' charges against Henry Kissinger as a war criminal - allegations documented in Hitchens' book of the same title - based on his role in countries such as Cambodia, Chile, and Indonesia.

Kissinger's story raises profound questions about American foreign policy and highlights a new era of human rights.

Increasing evidence about one man's role in a long history of human rights abuses leads to a critical examination of American diplomacy through the lens of international standards of justice.

The film focuses on Henry Kissinger and his role in America's secret bombing of Cambodia in 1969, the approval of Indonesia's genocidal assault on East Timor in 1975, the assassination of a Chilean general in 1970, and his involvement in the 1969 Paris peace talks concerning the Vietnam Conflict. (Excerpt from imdb.com)

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57 Comments / User Reviews

  1. KK-Kasra

    students and academics have no rights to get involved in political matters such as Vietnam.
    How dare they get involve in something that does not concern them ?
    I hate this popular involvement in politics, this is more complex that you can comprehend so shut up and mind your manners

  2. KK-Kasra

    I wish I had kissenger's intelligence. too few ppl like this and too many idiots .

  3. KK-Kasra

    why would US government release these documents when they know it implicates them ?
    What does this say about US government? I like Kissinger thought. regardless of his past action, he is a political genius and we need more of him

    1. CaCaCaliban

      ok mr KKK, keep on lickin boots

  4. bobby

    Do any of you commentors have anything to offer BESIDES hate? Right away I see hate from 3 different sides. SIDES! Is religion a game with winners and losers? You 'winners' will never have anything useful to offer. Religion is about unity. Period. Not winners and losers. Not better or worse.
    Henry Kissenger was a presidential adviser. A President does not require an adviser. The advice a President gets from an adviser may be incorporated into a presidential DECISION. A President alone is responsible for his decision. "The buck stops here." Remember that one? If we want to follow bad advice the error of following wrong advice is still OUR error. Charles Manson gave orders without getting his hands bloody. Who is the greater murderer; the adviser or the murderer? "The Devil made me do it" died with Laugh In.
    Not valid then or now.

  5. Custer9149

    Thank God for Kissinger against Allende.

  6. Joe Shmoe

    Bob Hope : I guess they have the internet in your asylum :>)

  7. Joe Shmoe

    Give me a break Jew haters. Christians and Christianity have killed more people thru history than every other group combined. Islam would have to fly planes into 100 million more buildings to even begin to catch up to the evil that is Christianity.

  8. bobbyalpy

    We're Americans and everyone should know that if it helps us kill communists,we would break bread with the devil himself.As to those who think they can try AMERICAN citizens for war crimes...keep dreaming.You have a better chance of farting rainbows than you have of ever putting any AMERICAN on trial for war crimes in some foreign court.It's well known that we have a credo on this..."There shall be no court before The United States Supreme Court".All is fair in love and war.

  9. blondemama

    Depressing as hell to learn more about that fact that the US has always been down and dirty. Its not a recent thing after all -they just hid it better back in the day, or maybe the people were simply even more foolish back then, than they are now; and just blindly trusted their government. I've read so much lately, and seen so many docs that it doesn't even make me mad anymore.
    It just makes me very, very sad.

  10. Norm_de_Plume

    8:15 – At least when you suck a sewer pipe, it's only going to be you that gets f--ked up. Kissinger on the other hand decided to blow – covering the whole world in a s*it-storm.

  11. snow white

    pLease read: "extreme prejudice by susan lindauer former CIA employee..

  12. Winston Smith

    This is the man who talked Nixon out of using an atomic bomb in Vietnam in that famous audio clip too !...heh.. unless Nixon was just a nut. Which obviously he was. Playing at war while people die for corporate profits, sickening and still going on today. Obama is our murdering head of state today.

  13. Bob Hope

    Only a Zionist, Talmudic Jew could have got away with what Kissinger did & his coreligionists are slowly destroying America.

  14. jj

    typical psycopath,denie denie denie,amazing though theres a trail of murder and destruction,that follows his path and overt manipulation,they use communist or other excuses but more is for corperate or weapons sale,look how many democratic governments they overturn, it throws the communist threat out the window,how they overtly also try to keep blood off there hands or trail back to them,they acted imperially privaetly,and now openly,now I see why so many hate us.

  15. James Cabral

    Kissinger , psychopath.

  16. Simple Simon says

    how odd that the guy that helped plan 9/11 sould see it as evil, seems he enjoys being evil.

    1. Guest

      @Simple Simon,

      Where the heck have you got that idea?
      Or suspicion? Everyone on planet earth sure knows that Kissinger is the 20th century war crime leader but considering that in a way, he retired under the express protection of the US nation, your comment is sort of weird.

      He's sure active in the Jewish APEC who now runs the USA (The "We the Corporates") but still, I don't one event that leads toward that man being part of the peoples who either organized or supported the Muslim extremists in a way or another.

      In any events, the US citizens are lucky they didn't had to taste Kissinger medicin cause it could have been much worst than the one administered by the other criminals.
      They'd be much better off to vote for any organized crime gansters since those guys have a mininal amount of intellectual integrity.
      AND! Honor!

      Pierre.

  17. Jules Hawryluk

    It's tragic that a person who knows and has member of his family as victims of the Holocaust, has committed the same crimes against humanity. Shame!!

    1. Guest

      @Jules Hawryluk,

      No exactly "tragic" but rather criminal.
      What's really tragic is the USA Gov. who harbor and protect war criminals since the time where "Operation PaperClip" took place.

      Because, that was when suchh criminals began to hit on any race found on planet earth as long as there is monetary retribution at the end.

      Some qualify that behavior with the word "Hench Men". It appears that the common US citizen enjoys and promote this against the principles of most if not all human beings.
      We take good note of the endoctrinement found over there since some 50 Years, or so?

      Pierre.

    2. Bob Hope

      The world has got it wrong about the Jews. Read Exodus 32 & you will see that YHWH wanted to wipe them off the face of the earth for HOLOCAUSTING their children to Moloch aka The Golden Calf, but Moses objected. Read Exodus 18 & you will see that it was Jethro, the pagan priest of Median, Moses father-in-law that created Talmudic Judaism. Read Jeremiah 7 & you will see what YHWH thinks of Talmudic Judaism. Read Amos 5 for the exposure of what they were doing in the Wilderness for 40 years. Talmudic, rabbinical Judaism is Satanic!

      THEY ARE ALLOWED TO HOLOCAUST THEIR PEOPLE TODAY:

      MISHNAH. HE WHO GIVES OF HIS SEED TO MOLECH INCURS NO PUNISHMENT UNLESS HE DELIVERS IT TO MOLECH AND CAUSES IT TO PASS THROUGH THE FIRE. IF HE GAVE IT TO MOLECH BUT DID NOT CAUSE IT TO PASS THROUGH THE FIRE, OR THE REVERSE, HE INCURS NO PENALTY, UNLESS HE DOES BOTH.

      Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin 64a
      Soncino 1961 Edition, page 437

      Following the Mishnah is a discussion among the sages. One of the Talmud Sages, Rabbi Ashi, comments as follows:

      GEMARA. R. Ashi propounded: What if one caused his blind or sleeping son to pass through, (3) or if he caused his grandson by his son or daughter to pass through? — One at least of these you may solve. For it has been taught: [Any men … that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall he put to death … And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people;] because he hath given of his seed unto Molech. Why is this stated? — Because it is said, there shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire. From this I know it only of his son or daughter. Whence do I know that it applies to his son's son or daughter's son too? From the verse, [And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man] when he giveth of his seed unto Molech [and kill him not: Then I will … cut him off.]

      — Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin 64b
      Soncino 1961 Edition, page 439

      The Nazis were the Priests of Moloch, but it was the Jews themselves who were the brains behind the Holocaust!

    3. I AM POP SLAG.

      It almost seems as though that were the cause of such behaviour in fact, the vocalised jewish rewsponse as to why they behave so aggressively and paranoically toward anyone who much as blinks at them is very often "never again" in reference to the jewish holocaust, conveniently ignoring the fact that they are doing similar and the hatred for the arabs is palpably more vehement than that shown by the nazis toward the jews- which whilst horrific was less impassioned and much more definite and more business like- talking of "final solutions" rather than the crazed embittered delusional paranoia of"they are trying to push us into the sea!.

    4. Jutta Gyllichsen

      Hitler was right.

  18. Willy/Will

    America is the biggest Democracy in the World eh?

  19. Dima Russochypriota

    amazing how a man whose family was persecuted during WWII ends up using much the same techniques as the nazi's in pursuing his goals. i watched this documentary because i saw kissinger up close the other day and all i can say is the end statement, from my point of view, is pretty much bang on. a sad old man, surrounded by bloodsucking limelight mongers. didnt know whether to spill something on or feel sorry for him. (the presence of the security guards aided me in choosing the latter :))

    1. fonbindelhofas

      History is amazing u know, are u sure they ran out of germany? Perhaps um... influential bankers sun going to the "safe distanse" to w8 for investments to pay off... im just sayng... all those coleges and important people? cmon...

    2. Guest

      What you mean "They ran out of Germany"?
      Understood that "Kissinger" is now an old schmock but can't be from the generation of the end of WWII when the USA Gov, provided safe heaven to NAZIs through the "Paperclip" project? Those who fully deserved to be either hang or sit on the electric chair. The ones who were offer a new life in the USA by the USA communism's paranoid McCarty’s.

      The whole world sure know by now that the USA became the "Follow-Up" and safe heaven for the criminally insane & that Kissinger is the ideal image or thought for puking but still, he was still only a teen as the USA "PaperClip" operation went on?

      Hey! If those NAZI criminals were recruited at the peak of their career in homosapien abusal (40-50) Y/O, add up the years that went by... (60+40)... ?

      The only thing that "Kissinger" had the opportunity to do is to instill the USA nation the thrill of massacres, lying to the rest of the world. Torturing other human beings and stealing other instead of earning their own goods.

      Anyhow, USA psychotic war criminals criminal are national heroes over there. The USA has its own war crime laws.
      War crimes committed by its own citizens and army personnel are no war crimes but at most, an error.

      Very dangerous peoples.
      Unfeasible to distinguish one from another next Kissinger.

      Pierre.

    3. dreamjoehill

      Henry was drafted into the US Army in 1943.

      During the Allied occupation of Germany, Kissinger was a Sergeant in the Counter Intelligence Corps. In June 1945, Kissinger was made commandant of the Bensheim metro CIC detachment, Bergstrasse district of Hesse, with responsibility for de-Nazification of the district.
      So Kissinger efinitely had the opportunity to aid Operation Paperclip. I don't know as there's any proof that he utilized the opportunity.
      wikipedia

  20. Shannon Elizabeth Staley

    Very good. I think Kissinger may be a psychopath or sociopath. He lacks any empathy, and fits many of the DSM criteria...then again many of those in power do.........

    1. Bob Hope

      PLEASE, PLEASE GOOGLE:

      THE SECULAR ZIONIST AGENDA FOR A JEWISH STATE

      Rabbi Dr. Chaim Simons

      August 2007

      © Copyright. 2007. Chaim Simons

      ALL Zionist, Talmudic Jews are psychopath or sociopath!

  21. BrownBearer

    For all Dr Kissinger's launded intellectual brilliance he is ultimately stupid. He continued to fight the enemy of the second world war when the context had changed and due to his inherent ambition condemned individuals and nations to suffer. His approach to foreign policy was intellectual window-dressing, in truth it was basic - talk was a sideshow, imposition of will, justified on security grounds, through overwhelming power and brute force, was the real agenda. Whilst this might have clear logic, the real stupidity was that the long term consequences were either grossly underestimated or completely ignored - the contempt that comes from having a bigger hammer.

  22. Pierre

    This one teach a lot!

    Another case among many in one sole documentary.
    I appreciated the sight of the documents.
    Not only chit-chat, even though important paragraphs were cross-out.
    To the USA citizen viewers (Which I am not): Yes, only 2 political parties and under scrutiny, no difference!
    Land of the free? Humm...
    With only 2 parties? You're joking?
    You only have 2 extremes.
    Extrems up to a point where at the end, they fuse in each other.

    It sure takes a lot if guts and patience creating a new party. Not a revolutionary one but something serious that last. Even though it wouln't be elected, for the least, it can access "Bizarre" crooked things or documents.

    However, imagine there would be one, and the leader would be a man of good will? What if he gets shot?
    Even worst, if a majority of USA citizens get a little angry and decide for once to go voting for real for a partie who's really oriented toward the betterment of human beings in the USA as well as being non liar philantrhopes?

    I don't think this is possible!
    The day after, martial law would be declared since that already you are living under the "USA Patriot Act".
    There ain't no more civil rights in the USA.

    I wouldn't set a foot in there.
    Peoples are real nice but there's a heck of a beast in the attic!

    For the least I can say, the whole world now knows for a fact that any and all of the USA Elites are liars and dangerous psychotic maniacs.
    The rest of the population over there do not have their say.
    Close to the same thing as in China or Russia a little while back.
    Who are "We the Peoples"? Tax payers who are not enough of trusty patriots to have a few of their pairs to examine the aberration its own Elite plunge into.
    Only (50-200) USA citizens bare enough patriotic feelings to be trusted to see and monitorize official "Covered" documents that may make a common citizen a war criminal?
    Cummon! I see plenty drape themselves with the USA Flag!

    It looks like a worst future than for the Viets when you hushed out of there.
    At least, they now can hope with pride while looking back.

    It teach a lot!

    1. who_me_yeah_you

      Sorry Pierre but you third party solution is not very well thought out. The third party would be well infiltrated before it has completed its petition. There have been third parties before with minor successes at best.

    2. Guest

      Yeah You,
      That "solution" was only sort of a sarcasm.
      Personally, I don't even see how it could be resolved.
      Beside, in now days,these "Devoted"individuals do not exist anymore. Worldwide and not only the USA, the few last ones we seen date back to at least ~ (25-30) years...
      It'll take something esle, much more important than the few last events we seen in the USA.

      But I hope I'll be death by then.
      I brought down our sourcings from the USA by a "lil bit more than 60% but still, it would be a heck of a drag to source the rest elsewhere from the USA if a chaos would occurs.

      Anyhow, I came here yesterday 'coze nothing much good on TV... Viewed that somewhat boring doc and seen some sort of a NY, USA comic within that rather boring sacarstic doc.
      His name: "George Carlin".
      I don't know if you're an american but Gosh, that guy is totally hilarant! He almost killed me by laughing up to gagging, cramps in the belly weasing for air!
      More than an hour long, non stop minutes after minutes.
      He's incredible. And he cares to speak so clearly to make sure that peoples not having English as his mother tongue, undertand clearly ech and every jokes.

      I rather laugh at the whole thing from now on.
      Americans paying respect to a criminal such as Kissinger or Reagan for instance? War criminals?

      Franlky, I understand bery well Georgie who once said: If any country harbor or offer safe heaven to war criminals...
      That just gotta be the reason of the installement of the "Patriot Act", ins't it?
      Georgie sure knows what he's talking of since his father sure did told him a few things about the founders of the CIA?
      Being said. I now go for the other George, Carlin namely.

  23. ewok

    Obama is of the same Ilk

  24. Kronsteen

    What can it be like to have the power to arrive in Jakata, hold a meeting with Suharto, give the green light to Timor's invasion, and as a result, 100,000 people are killed? What can be the moral justification for such a decision? What evil is that person seeking to avoid that is worse than the killing of 100,000 people...I can't understand it...

  25. Ryan

    Kissinger is a bad man, no doubt. I've always thought that. The fact that the Nobel committee gave him an award ruins the credibility of that organization completely.

  26. Mel

    I would like to see a similar documentary on Bush and his cronies... I think they are just as disgusting a group of monsters as Kissinger.

  27. Tjo

    Ooo Reddy, Reddy, Reddy - watch what you say, just how many Americans do you know? Are you jaded by the ____?_____ media that you watch in ____your country here___? It's ignorant, blanket statements like that - that make "the man" happy. Seems like a little minnow swallowed some mighty big bait. (AND what Lucy said)

  28. Puddy

    For all American bashers. Kissinger is German born. The atrocities and blood are on the hands of the World Order and were sanctioned by corrupt leaders in your country as well.

    You all think you are so smart but you live on the tip of the iceberg. Until you determine who the wizards behind the committee curtains are, you are ready for divide and conquer and enable the takeover that has been planned for a thousand years.

  29. kent

    It is sad that most Americans don't know or care about the leaders that represent them to the others in the world, I get asked all the time by friends who say to me "why does the US do these things"? ( I live out of the country now, had to leave when king gorge II got elected) they don't understand that the people and the government are two different things, It's government for the government, buy the government, and one more little tidbit to think about, Chile had all the evidence for the case against kissinger for the world court stored in building 7 WTC, surprise, surprise, there is a good book by Naomi Klein, The Shock Doctrine, a must read for anybody that want to know a little history of what the US has been doing in Central and South America. sickening.

  30. RevolutionMan

    Let me start with an apology. I am a Jew, and as one I feel so much rage when I see other Jews mistreating people. On this case, It is even more, since Kissinger was a victim of the Nazi regimen. I cannot fathom, or wrap my brains around it.. how can some one who haves experienced something like that, turn around and continue doing it to others?
    It is Jews like him that provoke people like "truth"(who commented above)
    It is sad and it makes me angry... One day I have faith we all, as a human kind will come together, not through a Maitreya, or a NWO, but through common sense, respect, and tolerance.

  31. mTd

    well Lucy I agree with what you say in some parts!! but still when you have 300 million Americans and only a very small % (as you say) knows whats going on then there is really something VERY wrong with the mentality and the way of thinking of the rest do you think? you mean to tell me that the rest of the ''unaware'' Americans are so easy to manipulate? When was the last time that Americans in huge numbers protested in full force against whats going on , not only in the USA but with regards to what the US is doing to the rest of the nations???

  32. Ranger

    Lucy, you are bang on the money! The two political parties are more alike than not. They bow to the same puppet masters. Kissinger is one of the big wigs in the shadows who, unfortunately, truly controls how people behave. Free and critical thought is a basic right we must once again seek out. Your points of media manipulation are 100% fact. It's NOT the people who are without honor by nature....but it WILL be the people who reclaim their true, free, and loving nature in the end. Great post, Lucy!

  33. lucy

    You need to understand that most Americans do not even vote. Terrible media coverage never gets to real issues. Most Americans are ignorant of what is really going on. And it may not even be their fault. Our education system in some states is failing and it is, for the people in power, beneficial. Or they are frustrated and don't think their vote matters. And we have 2 worthless political parties and really no choice at all. A lot of Average Americans are brainwashed into voting against their own interests by corporations and politicians being paid off by those corporations. A lot of them are victims. I think that you need to understand there is a rich(and small) class of people running the show. There are also a lot of great people in America who devote their lives to trying to change these things. You can not hate average americans because of people like Kissinger. I'm an American and I would love to see him brought to trial for war crimes. Furthermore there are around 300 million Americans and you are going to group them as all the same?? Every state is very different. Lastly, You will find that most people in most places are generally good and a lot the same. And that you can not truly know a country and its' people until you go there.

  34. Ranger

    ...and what about his connections to more current affairs as well? He's the big player at the C.F.R., Trilateral Comm., and Bilderburg; been present at Bohemian Grove; pulled strings during Iran/Contra; Bush 43 directly appointed him as a Special Advisor to the much-maligned 9/11 Commission; and the list goes on. And what about now? Who is his protege? None other than Barack Hussein Obama. Kissinger, in fact, gave Obama his first job out of college! Once the (s)election of Obama was sealed for President, who gets appointed to a special envoy role in his cabinet?? Henry Kissinger! When the economy crashed in late '08, Kissinger hailed Obama as the saviour who would take advantage of the crisis to lead the globe into a New World Order. Henry Kissinger is present at every turn and around every corner where cover-up and secrecy are necessary for the government. He is corrupt beyond imagination. We MUST open our eyes, minds, and hearts to understand what really happen in the shadows.

  35. Stevie

    Kissenger. Where do I begin?

    The guy is a straight up G. Look at him, a different woman every week.

    If you could be like Henry, you'd do it. Sure you'd do it a little differently, and probably wouldn't kill anyone. But I would. After a while absolute power goes to your head and you'd get a God complex.

    Put yourself in his place for a minute, the power would go to your head and if somebody annoyed you enough, or a country wasn't acting like it waas supposed to you'd kill them. If you was guaranteed to get away with it, no questions, no investigations, no DNA, no nothing, would you kill? Of course you would. Maybe one or two people.

    I would love to see him get arrested. If we were to try him here, he would put together a legal team that would make OJ & Michael's seem like a kindergarden gathering. You know he has a few billion stashed away someplace, people like Kissinger always have millions stashed away, probably spirited away from some defence slush-fund. With that kind of money you can get away with ANYTHING & EVERYTHING. But they will never try him, our legal system is meant to cater to those with money and power. OJ killed and got away with it because of his money. Michael Jackson played a little boy and got away with it because of his money. Many young American's don't have nearly as much evidence against them in murder cases and go to their deaths because their lack of money.

    Insane megalomaniac? No. Smart.

  36. mTd

    To Tyler

    Why do you re-elect them then? Why do you sit and watch the atrocities of your governments over and over again and never protest in full force?

    what you say its b*******!!! pure and simple! Americans have come to understand......nothing!!! you are powerless to do anything , thus you do nothing!!!

  37. Tyler

    Before I watch this, let me just say to all of you that you shouldn't judge Americans based on this one man. American government and corporations have been raping the world for the past century but I assure you that the true majority of us are generally good people. Or at the very least, not evil.

  38. truth

    Hang this jew as well as every other politician who bows to the zionist doctrine.All politicians are crooks and liers and are not held accountable for the deaths of millions yet the common man goes to prison for the smallest infractions.

  39. Bodd

    What an animal!

    This goes to show what inhumane unspeakable acts human beings are and will be capable of. Excellent Doc once again. Thanks Vlatko!

  40. Ashangel

    Kissinger is about as close to a live demon a human can get, without actually being one. The man is twisted and pure evil. research into his infinite exploits to see what I mean.

    What makes his actions so much worse is the fact that he is not considered insane, at least not in the accepted (authoritarian) sense.
    No the "man" is in fact in full control of his faculties and has the the blood of literally 10's of millions on his hands through who he chooses to fund, which is often both sides in warfare until he bores of it, then removes the funding from one side, much like Prescott Bush (Bush Jnr's granddaddy)did with the Nazi's in WW2.

    Anyway rant over :-D

    But seriously checkout what I said.

  41. WTC7

    This doc provides a good insight, on the example of this despicable creature that dares to call himself a human being - only because he looks like one, into the worst kind of Machiavellian international politics deprived of morals or human considerations whatsoever.

    Let's not forget that this mass murderer still holds considerable influence in creation of the US foreign policy.

    1. Guest

      I totaly agree with you. Regrettable most of the third estate are Unaware of the devilish jiggery-poke and media rub-a-dub-dub. But Remember Who Has 1 More Noble Peace Prize than you do! lol

  42. Jonathan R

    Interesting the Kissinger guy sounds like a bastard to me

  43. Wide Awake

    The Americans are the greatest hyprocrites. Internationl law does not apply to them. They have comitted the greatest terrorist attrocities of the last 60 years. American democracy died the day the murdered JF Kennedy in Dallas on November 22nd 1963. Every AMerican president since then is simply a puppet for the hidden government since them. That's why the murdered Robert Kennedy because they knew that he would be answerable to the people and not those who manipulate events from behind the curtain.

  44. reddy

    Americans have no Honor. They only know Killing and have no right to talk about human rights, freedom and democracy. Lowest of the low lifes.