al government agencies. In 1969 Kissinger became the assistant of President Nixon for national security affairs. He became very important to president Nixon, acting as his military advisor during the Vietnam War. In January 1973 Kissinger's efforts finally resulted in an agreement establishing a cease-fire in the Vietnam War. For this achievement he shared the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize with the North Vietnamese diplomat Le Duc Tho. In August 1973 President Nixon appointed Kissinger secretary of state, he kept this position under President Ford. The North VietnameseHo Chi MinhHo Chi Minh was born in 1890, he died in 1969. He was the leader of North Vietnam and guiding light in Vietnams struggle for independence and unification. He was more of a nationalist than a communist, Ho Chi Minh fought against 3 successive foreigners occupying his country: Japan, France, and the U.S.. He once predicted that the Vietnamese would lose many more men in the struggle, but that in the end it would make no difference: Vietnam would be free. He died before the war ended.Le Duc ThoThe real name of Le Duc Tho is Phan Dinh Khai. He was born in 1911 and died in 1990 in northern Vietnam. Le Duc Tho was a Vietnamese Communist leader. When the French were still fighting in Vietnam, he was twice imprisoned for his nationalist activities, this was in 1930-1936 and 1939-1944. He later rose to the top rank of the party leaders in North Vietnam. From 1968 to 1973 Le Duc Tho was the chief negotiator for North Vietnam at the Paris peace talks aimed at ending the Vietnam War. His role in these peace talks was good for the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize. Le Duc Tho, however, rejected the prize, stating that "peace has not really been established." The war during Nixons presidencyWhen Nixon became president on the 20th of January 1969, it was to be his duty to make an end to the war in Vietnam. His goals were as follows:1.Build up the South Vietnamese armed forces2.Strengthen the ec...
