Former United States secretary of state, and one of the most notorious war criminals Henry Kissinger has finally died at 100 years old.

Henry played a pivotal and polarising role in US foreign policy during the Cold War.

He served as America's top diplomat and national security adviser during the Nixon and Ford administrations.

Despite leaving office in the mid-1970s, he continued to be consulted by generations of leaders for decades.

The German-born former diplomat died at his home in Connecticut.

Born in Germany in 1923, the school teacher's son first came to the US in 1938 when his family fled the Nazis. He never quite lost his native Bavarian accent.

He became a US citizen in 1943 and went on to serve three years in the US Army and later in the Counter Intelligence Corps.

In 1969, then-President Nixon appointed him national security adviser, a position that gave him enormous sway over US foreign policy.

His eight years as both national security adviser and secretary of state between 1969-77 saw the US finally end its involvement in the Vietnam War, open up relations with China and bring about a cessation of hostilities in the 1973 Yom Kippur War in the Middle East between Egypt and Syria on the one hand and Israel on the other. It was an effort that created the whole idea of shuttle diplomacy.

Former US President George W Bush led tributes, saying the US had "lost one of the most dependable and distinctive voices on foreign affairs".

In 1973, he was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize alongside North Vietnam's Le Duc Tho, who refused to accept.

The award led to two members of the Nobel committee resigning.

While Kissinger left government service in 1977, he continued to be a prolific commentator on public affairs.

While he was lauded by many, several people think he should've been tried for war crimes.