Looking ahead
I need to leave myself notes, so the things I am touching now, I can remember to draw on as I develop my ideas later. I am thinking forward to when it is my turn to lead the discussion on section 2.5 on the Cold War and the Third World. I am drawn to Chalmers Johnson's concern over the counterproductive activities of the US in South East Asia. Of course, the Ugly American is the Book of Genesis & Revelations to a large extent on the matter of the US in the third world... But his book 'Blowback' may have some relevance:
http://www.antiwar.com/bock/b042402.html
He also has an essay in Triumphalism. It discusses the idea of three cold wars, Europe, China, and Latin America. I see myself having to focus regionally to keep it manageable.
I will likely develop largely on US mistakes since the Soviets were new to expansion outside of their tempurate zone. Also I think my response in the previous post to OB by John Quincy Adams is also a good guide in terms of idealism.
posted by Mr. Dillon @ 2:24 PM
2 Comments:
Um, but Lederer & Burdick's Ugly American was actually a good guy. Perhaps you are thinking of Greene's Quiet American, who had a habit of leaving explosions in his wake?
Dan,
What I read in the Ugly American was the tendancy of the Americans to lose or blow opportunities to win hearts and minds in SE Asia, due to their supreme faith in their own way (arrogance) - and lack of understanding of what was happening on the ground in the country in which they operated (incompetence)...
I would add one as a companion book to this. Gaddis mentioned George Orwell in his latest book on the Cold War. Orwell's masterpiece on the twilight of empire is Burmese Days. Both of these reads are entertaining and informative.
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