Yankees remember Henry Kissinger after former Secretary of State's recent demise
The New York Yankees came up with a post Thursday on X that wasn't any official announcement regarding trade or agent signing. It was a tribute to Henry Kissinger, who recently died at 100 years old.
Kissinger formerly served as the Secretary of State and National Security Advisor of the United States under the presidency of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.
The post read:
"The Yankees are profoundly saddened by the passing of former United States secretary of state Henry Kissinger, who performed varied and vital diplomatic and advisory roles throughout his distinguished career.
"A lifelong friend of the Yankees organization, he was a frequent welcome guest of the Steinbrenner family at Yankee Stadium. We offer our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and all who had the privilege of knowing him. He will be deeply missed."
Kissinger's long-term association with the Yankees and controversy related to Cambodia
The former Secretary of State was closely connected with the team and its activities, which led to frequent invitations as a chief guest.
Kissinger and legendary Yankees owner George Steinbrenner were friends and often found attending games together in the luxury box.
Kissinger looked upon his time with the Yankees owner fondly, which he also mentioned in his multiple op-eds. One was with the New York Times, where he expressed his emotions regarding when he used to sit with the bigwigs.
The discussion surrounding the legacy of Henry Kissinger is particularly intense among the nations who were subjected to his harsh military measures, like Cambodia. According to historians, his choices caused decades of conflict that still plague Cambodian society today.
As President Richard M. Nixon's National Security Advisor and Secretary of State from 1969 to 1973, Kissinger oversaw the widespread bombing of areas of Cambodia that American officials at the time believed to be havens for both North Vietnamese soldiers and communist rebels from South Vietnam.
Upto 150,000 civilians may have been killed by the 500,000 tons of American bombs that were dropped on Cambodia during this time, according to Ben Kiernan, a Yale University historian, and expert on the American legacy in that country.