Henry Kissinger (1923-2023) was notable for his position as a prominent American Secretary of State, advisor, theorist. and diplomat, as well as a war criminal.
Kissinger fled persecution in Germany and became a renowned academic of foreign relations. He was also a skilled self-publicist, creating the myth of a "Great Man" that, whilst serving his public image whilst in power, in later years would see him become reviled as a symbol of American-backed atrocities worldwide.

Kissinger was a "realist" towards international relations, that is, a utilitarian, pragmatic school of thought that focuses on the state as the main international actor. In practice, this meant continual attempts by the US to maintain hegemony over communism.

Kissinger's positive achievements include détente with the Soviet Union, improved relations with China, negotiations to limit nuclear weapons, and the Paris Peace Accords (albeit, ones that he had tried to sabotage earlier).

Far overshadowed, however, is his legacy of violence, including but not limited to: merciless bombing of Indochina, especially Cambodia (top); support for Pakistan against Bangladesh (left), leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths; support for apartheid South Africa; support for the state terrorism in South America known as Operation Condor (right); and support for the events that led to the East Timor genocide. Kissinger often lied about his involvement and knowledge of these events even years after, and at the time supressed media reports. He often acted illegally.

Nonetheless, Kissinger's position as an 'Evil Great Man' is misguided. His role as a lightening rod for criticism of US foreign policy existed mainly because of his continual public appearances and the death of many of the others involved. Whilst influential, he was not the sole mastermind.

ETA members had planted explosives under the road via a nearby cellar.
The enormous explosion left a crater in the ground and propelled Blanco's car so high in the air it went over a nearby building, earning him the title amongst anti-fascist Spaniards of Spain's first astronaut.

It is possible that ETA were more interested in creating civil disorder within Spain than anything else, but the crisis caused by Blanco's death probably made Spain's transition to democracy after Franco's own death easier.