The Ugly American Themes
The main themes in The Ugly American are American arrogance and failure in Southeast Asia and how to win the Cold War in Southeast Asia.
- American arrogance and failure in Southeast Asia: The book argues that arrogance has resulted in the United States’ failure to defeat the Communist Party in Southeast Asia.
- How to win the Cold War in Southeast Asia: In the narrative, the characters who are actually able to effect change are those who respect and attempt to understand the local cultures.
American Arrogance and Failure in Southeast Asia
The novel seeks to underscore how the United States is falling short in its mission to combat communism in Southeast Asia and suggests alternative strategies for success. Essentially, the U.S. is at risk of losing the Cold War in this region because of a complacent political and bureaucratic system that neither understands the local culture nor effectively addresses the people's real needs through large-scale foreign aid programs. Each story within the book showcases various elements of this theme, depicting Americans who are either contributing to the problem or offering solutions.
A key figure undermining U.S. efforts is Ambassador Sears. Appointed due to his political allegiance to the Democratic Party leader, Sears lacks any pertinent training for his position. He is unfamiliar with the country he is assigned to and makes little effort to learn about it. Instead, he devotes his time to social engagements, entertaining visiting American politicians and military personnel, while avoiding interaction with the local populace. He even prohibits his staff from visiting local villages. Despite being unpopular with the locals and outmaneuvered by the Russians, he believes his relations with the Sarkhanese "couldn't be better." He remains oblivious to the serious communist threat in Sarkhan, and his letter to the U.S. State Department dismissing the possibility of a communist takeover carries an ironic tone: "I get around at one hell of a lot of social functions, and official dinners out here, and I've never met a native Communist yet."
Similarly, Joe Bing, the information officer, has a misguided understanding of the situation. While Americans in the region see him as a charming figure who knows everyone in Setkya, the locals perceive him differently. Ruth Jyoti describes him as someone who acknowledges only those who are "European, Caucasian, western-educated, and decently dressed." Her portrayal of him embodies the "ugly American" stereotype, which, since the book's publication, has come to symbolize the worst of American behavior abroad: "He drives a big red convertible, which he slews around corners and over sidewalks. And he's got exactly the kind of loud silly laugh that every Asian is embarrassed to hear."
In a lecture in Washington, D.C., Bing reveals a critical flaw in American foreign service recruitment practices. He emphasizes the easy lifestyle, including perks like free housing and available servants, rather than the challenges. Americans aren't even required to learn the language of the country they are assigned to. Bing's viewpoint underscores his ethnocentric mindset: "Translators are a dime a dozen overseas. And besides, it's better to make the Asians learn English. Helps them too." Consequently, the American foreign service tends to attract only mediocre individuals.
Since only a small number of Americans take the time to learn the local language, most remain in urban areas, primarily engaging with fellow Americans, European diplomats, and English-speaking members of the Asian elite. This language barrier is in stark contrast to Russian diplomats, who make an effort to learn the local language and fully immerse themselves in the culture. The Russians often travel to rural areas and villages, striving to gain the trust of the local people. They are particularly skilled in propaganda and "dirty tricks," as demonstrated by their success in convincing the Sarkhanese that rice supplied by the United States was actually provided by Russia.
How to Win the Cold War in Southeast Asia
The triumph of the communists and the shortcomings of the bureaucratic Americans are contrasted by American characters who appreciate and value the local people and their traditions. One such character, Father Finian, initiates a small black propaganda effort in Burma, assisting local men in creating a counterfeit communist newspaper to weaken communist influence....
(This entire section contains 604 words.)
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The core of Father Finian's approach is to allow the locals to choose their path. He doesn't force his opinions but rather facilitates their dialogues. "It is your country, your souls, your lives," he asserts. "I will do what we agree upon." This method critiques the dominant American mindset that assumes they know better than the locals about what is best for Southeast Asia.
Similar to Father Finian's understanding of countering communist propaganda, Major "Tex" Wolchek comprehends the military requirements of the conflict. In contrast to the French and their American allies, Tex recognizes that the war in Indochina demands expertise in guerrilla tactics, as described by Mao Tse-tung. Relying on old war strategies, as the French do, is outdated. However, when Tex and Ambassador MacWhite present their views to a gathering of French and American generals in Hanoi, they are mocked. A French general's statement highlights the cultural arrogance and superiority that typify the Western perspective on the region:
If you are suggesting that the nation which produced Napoleon now needs to seek military guidance from a primitive Chinese, I must tell you that not only are you mistaken, but you are also being offensive.
Colonel Hillandale, another American, illustrates the importance of understanding and respecting local customs. While stationed in the Philippines, Hillandale fully immersed himself in Filipino culture, embracing the cuisine, music, people, and even learning the language. When assigned to Sarkhan, he walks through the streets of Haidho, attentively observing his surroundings. He notices that skilled astrologers and palmists operate in sophisticated buildings, reflecting the significance of these practices in Sarkhanese culture. Had he been one of those Americans who never ventured beyond the cocktail-party scene, he might have overlooked this vital observation. Having taken up palmistry as a hobby, he uses this knowledge to build important local relationships. In stark contrast is George Swift, a diplomat at the U.S. Embassy, who exemplifies the typical American cultural arrogance portrayed in the book by dismissing what he does not understand. "A vaudeville stunt," he remarks about palm reading. Ambassador MacWhite, who knows what Americans truly need to grasp in Southeast Asia, responds, "[N]othing is fake if people believe in it. Your business is not to judge whether or not things are fakes, but who believes them and why and what it means."
Other Americans, like John Colvin and Homer and Emma Atkins, develop strategies to assist the local communities with agricultural and technological initiatives at the grassroots level. Similar to Tex, Homer Atkins encounters resistance from U.S. bureaucrats. Although they consult him as an adviser for foreign aid initiatives, their primary interest lies in large-scale technological projects such as dams, highways, and irrigation systems. These ventures mainly serve local politicians who manipulate them for personal gain and power. However, Atkins is more in tune with the genuine needs of the community, using his skills, innovation, and perseverance to actualize his ideas. He values the local people and works alongside them as equals, in contrast to many other Americans who harbor an underlying sense of racial superiority. This attitude is highlighted by a technical adviser at the U.S. Embassy who remarks to Atkins that "for white men to work with their hands, and especially in the countryside, lower[s] the reputation of all white men."
