The Ugly American by Lederer J. Wilians and Eugene Burdick - Book Report/Review Example

Ugly America Name and Student Number:   Tutorial day and Time:       Tutor’s Name: Word Count: Central to ‘The Ugly American’ is the historical reality of the cold war between America and Russia. Behind the story lies a big picture of an universal struggle between two powerful nations who embrace competing ideologies and compete ruthlessly for control and influence over small nations in the world (Lederer and Eugen, 5). Given the fact that both America and Russia have the capacity to destroy each other through the use of mass destructions weapons such as nuclear bombs, the future of human race in the world will depend on the outcome of the struggle between the U.S. and Russia (Lederer and Eugen, 6). The struggle between American Foreign Service and Russian Communists personnel plays out battle by battle through examples of political, military and social events. Should Ambassador Gilbert Macwhite bear the full responsibility for the failure of his mission in Sarkhan. In each chapter in the book there is a character that fits this description, “The Ugly American.” For example, in chapter one, it is Sears Louis who called the native of Sarkhan strange little monkeys, while in chapter thirteen, it is the State Department (Lederer and Eugen, 12). This essay will examine issues and episodes that led to Ambassador MacWhite failure and support the claim that Ambassador Gilbert MacWhite should bear full responsibility for the failure of the U.S. mission in Sarkhan. In addition, this essay will discuss what other U.S. officials in Sarkhan were attempting to accomplish during MacWhite's tenure and note the reasons that they succeeded or failed (Lederer and Eugen, 14). There is no question that culture has an ability reach areas or countries that are otherwise politically or socially difficult. Sarkhan country was a good example where Americans had difficulty in engaging with that country and Sarkhan culture was one area where there was a relatively positive and neutral engagement (Lederer and Eugen, 32). This was not the case with Louis Sears as an Ambassador to Sarkhan Nation. For start, Louis Sears was unqualified to be an Ambassador he fully relied on his political connections to the White House because Louis Sears was previously a three-term U.S. Senator and that he accepted the role as an ambassador as a holding position while he waits for a Federal judgeship to become available in the States (Lederer and Eugen,6 6). In addition, Louis Sears failed because he had no interest or aptitude in representing his great nation. For example, he privately refers to Sarkhanese citizens as “monkeys” and he did not read or speak more than few words of Sarkhanese language. While Louis Sears Russian counterpart, Ambassador Louis Krupitzyn was well prepared for his position because he was able to understand Sarkhanese culture and at same time he was able to read and write Sarkhanese language. For example, when the U.S. government donated 14,000 tons of rice to Sarkhanese people, Ambassador Louis Krupitzyn arranged that for every bag of rice to have stenciled on it in Sarkhanese language that the rice was donated by Russia. Although, Americans protested this behavior most Sarkhanese people continued to believe that Russia donated the rice (Lederer and Eugen, 76). Louis Sears is seen to make another diplomatic blunder over a rumor that the U.S is about to evict the Sarkhanese Air Force from land lent to them. But Louis Sears get what he wants when he is recalled to the U.S. to take up a federal judgeship. Ambassador Gilbert MacWhite learned the local Sarkhanese language and was able to succeed, unlike Louis Sears who didn’t have any interest at all. Although Ambassador Gilbert MacWhite was eager to prevent communist influence and interest in Sarkhan, he was not going to succeed because he trusted his old Chinese servants, Roger and Donald. Li Pang a friend of Ambassador MacWhites tricks Donald into revealing that he has been working and passing information to the Russians. When Ambassador MacWhite travelled to the Vietnam and Philippines to try and prevent future mistake and also combat communism. In Philippines he came across Colonel Hillandale who was successful in combating communism through embracing the local culture. Father Finiari was a Catholic priest from Boston who was assigned to Burma. Father Finian is seen to be a fierce anti-communist and succeed in combating communist through his newspaper publication. For example, Father Finian was able to trick a Russian expert by secretly recording and then broadcasting bad thing the Russian expert said about the local people. Through such broadcasting it made the local into believing that the Russians did not have their best interests at heart; they were only there to exploit the local people. While in Cambodia, Tom Knox succeed in helping the local people improve their chicken and egg yield. Tom Knox was always greeted with enthusiasm by villages wherever he went. At a conference that praises the success of U.S. aid to Cambodia, Tom Knox proposed practical ways in which he can further increase the chicken and egg yields in Cambodia but he was failed by his fellow countrymen who wanted to develop mechanized farming in Cambodia. For example, when wealthy Cambodian landowner and French government diplomats treat Tom Knox to a series of luxury trips, he forgets all about his good intentions to the local people. A meeting of the special Armament was held in Hong Kong, the aim of that meeting was to discuss the prospect of placing U.S. military weapons-nuclear- on the Asian soil. The Americans failed to convince Asians people to store their weapons in their country because the Americans refused to discuss classified materials that touch on the safety of the nuclear weapons. Solomon Asch, who was the leader of the delegation felt let down by Captain Boning, one of the chief negotiator, who gave the Asian people an impression that Americans were deliberately holding back on information with regard to the safety of the nuclear weapons. As a result, the Asians barred Americans into installing nuclear weapons on their soil. Jonathan Brown, who was a tough U.S. senator made a visit to Vietnam to find out how aid was being used in that country. He met the local Vietnamese but the U.S embassy staff in Vietnam tried to control the information he was receiving. For example, when Jonathan Brown visited the ammunition depot, he had a chance to question a Vietnamese man but due to language barrier the interpreter that was provided for Jonathan Brown alters the man’s answers in a way that he thinks will please Jonathan Brown. The same thing occurred in Hanoi during Brown visit to find out the real military situation in that place. He realized that during his visit in Hanoi he had only talked to government officials and military men. “although later on the Senate floor he claims that he understands the situation in Vietnam because he has been there.” Works Cited Lederer J. Wilians and Eugene Burdick. The Ugly American. London: Norton Publisher, 1958.Print. Read More