The first edition of the book at hand by Henry A. Kissinger was published in 1957, when the author was still thirty-four years old; and, as is generally the case with those who write, this work of his, one of his early ones, can be considered quite significant.

Why? Because in this book, the future Secretary of State of the United States vividly presents his ideas and paradigms, his philosophy in other words, which - something that must be emphasized - concerns not only America but primarily Europe and consequently the whole world.

In the pages that follow, there are the seeds of situations that marked the second half of the 20th century, the impact of which was tragic for us Greeks, as those who lived through the events of 1974 in Cyprus know very well.

Something that truly arises from Kissinger's narrative and analyses is that, contrary to the perception that predominantly exists in our own land, Modern and Contemporary Greek History, with the pivotal point being the Revolution of 1821, has, on a global scale, crucial significance.

This is the first lesson that, negatively understood, Kissinger gave to the Greeks; and indeed, the fact that we still have not learned it well is one of the main reasons for the quasi-tragedy, the theater of which continues to be our country.

(...) [Excerpt from the preface text]