The Return of the Ugly American

Image: Universal Pictures Company Inc. / Wiki Commons

The defining characteristic of current US foreign policy is the assertion of American power, coupled with a disregard for and even hostility towards other countries. While the ambition to rule the world, or at least to dictate the rules, has since long been a hallmark of American politics, what is new is the blatant arrogance with which the Trump administration is attempting to enforce this claim to American dominance.

The global military, economic, and cultural dominance of the United States (the 'American Century') reached its zenith in the decades after World War II. During this period, at the outset of the Cold War, US foreign policy often exhibited a colonial attitude towards newly independent countries, demonstrating a lack of understanding and respect for their diverse cultures and norms. In their 1958 bestseller, The Ugly American, William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick—both American authors with extensive experience in the US military and foreign policy—analysed this behaviour with remarkable insight and precision. While book reviews typically focus on newly published works, revisiting this classic is worthwhile for understanding the parallels and differences between foreign policy then and now.

At the time, the book came as a shock to the political establishment in the US. Through their critical analysis, presented in the form of a novel but based on real events of American activities in Southeast Asia, the authors aimed to influence US foreign policy. It is an exposé of the arrogance, incompetence, and corruption—including racism—with which the US attempted to expand and secure its global influence during the early Cold War. The novel also addresses the personal conduct of State Department employees, their pursuit of personal gain, their condescending treatment of local staff and counterparts, and their desire to live according to American standards or within an American echo chamber, regardless of location. The shortcomings of American diplomats stood in stark contrast to the character of Homer Atkins, the hero of Lederer’s and Burdick’s book, who understands the problems and concerns of the local people and implements practical projects at the local level to improve their lives.

The two authors exposed the weaknesses of American attempts to exert power and influence in the fictional Southeast Asian country of Sarkhan, using both successful and failed projects as examples. The book remains highly relevant, as cultural insensitivity, disregard for international norms, lack of empathy, and coercive tactics continue to characterize US foreign policy again today. ​​In the late 1950s, the book had considerable political impact. It is said that then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower read the book, and President John F. Kennedy's idea for establishing the Peace Corps—which was created by the US Congress in 1961—was reportedly largely influenced by the lessons learned from The Ugly American. Interestingly, the Peace Corps, unlike the now-dismantled USAID, still exists today. ​​Its website states: “In 60 countries, Peace Corps Volunteers are putting their purpose, passion, and skills to work in partnership with welcoming host communities.” Nearly a quarter of a million young Americans have served since the early 1960s in over 140 countries. This has created a cadre of culturally sensitive and benevolent young Americans.

DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, originally led by Elon Musk, is a prime example of the disregard for the realities in the world and for the government’s focus on America first. The Peace Corps still emphasizes on its website that it operates in a "diverse" and "global" manner. This is surprising, given the current ideological campaign against diversity and the policy in favour of America first. But for how much longer will this be the Peace Corps’ mission?

There are clear parallels, but also differences, between the time of The Ugly American and current US foreign, security, and development policy. Like the characters and events in the novel, the representatives of the Trump administration often exhibit arrogance and a lack of sensitivity to the cultural and social fabric of other countries. In the 1960s, the problem was ignorant US representatives in the field and bureaucracy; today the ugly American sits at the top and the ugliness works top-down.

Six decades ago, critical voices in Washington were clearly heard, and an attempt was made to overcome the image of the tactless and heartless ‘Gringo’, by applying what we would now call a values-based foreign policy. Today, coercive methods, under the banner of America First, have become the official state ideology. Trump's ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) movement is openly and unabashedly nationalist and chauvinistic. Back then, the focus was on winning the ‘hearts and minds’ of people in other countries. Although this often failed (notably in Vietnam, the region where the stories in this novel take place), at least the official policy aspired to change the image of the ugly American. One of the American ambassadors in the novel, Louis Sears, asks his superior at the State Department to send him personnel of whom he can be proud.

Today, the approach is completely different. Trump's policies towards immigrants underline this xenophobic notion, as do his threats against other governments (e.g., Canada, Greenland, and Panama), and military actions (e.g., Iran and now Venezuela), his disrespectful treatment of other heads of state (e.g., President Volodymyr Zelensky), his dissemination of scientifically debunked falsehoods on climate and health policy, his withdrawal from international agreements and multilateral institutions, and his economically damaging and entirely arbitrary tariffs. Guests at the White House are criticized, discriminated against, lectured, and insulted—all in front of the cameras. The president behaves like a sultan, surrounded by sycophants and flatterers.

Only American interests matter. Whether these are truly American interests is debatable. But they are pursued relentlessly and with confrontational methods. The image of the ugly American primarily symbolized the moral degradation of US foreign policy, its shortcomings, ignorance, and lack of empathy. The Trump administration makes no effort to be perceived as a benevolent hegemon. Many governments, some media outlets in the US, tech giants, some judges, and universities bear with the administration's undiplomatic behaviour, public insults, and embarrassing self-aggrandizement, because they fear the president's retribution and potential retaliation, such as job losses or systematic discrimination. Trump seems to have no problem being seen as the ‘ugly American’ as long as enough world leaders and politicians (from Vladimir Putin to Kim Jong-un, from Narendra Modi to Mark Rutte) call him a ‘friend’ or others even nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

In a fact-based epilogue, the two authors emphasize that, while the book describes a fictional country, the events, some of which are tragic, did indeed take place. "Too many times”, write Lederer and Burdick. “We believe that if such things continue to happen, they will multiply into a pattern of disaster.” Therefore today, the book is well worth reading.

The issue of cultural appropriation, which trivializes or even exploits understanding and appreciation of other cultures, was not yet a topic of discussion in the 1950s and 1960s. The book was also written from a Cold War perspective, without any critical examination of the ideological confrontation between the two blocs. There were only ‘good guys’ and ‘bad guys’. Some of the successful projects described, particularly in the field of development cooperation, seem somewhat naive in light of today's perspective and with the lessons learned from decades of development aid. Nevertheless, the importance of acting with humility and respect for other cultures, and the recognition of the rule of law rather than the law of the strongest, are essential prerequisites for sustainable cooperation. This is the antithesis of the short-term, profit-driven ‘deal-making’ approach of the current US president.

William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick, The Ugly American, New York, W. W. Norton & Company, 1958.  The Ugly American also is a 1963 film starring Marlon Brando.

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Herbert Wulf is a Professor of International Relations and former Director of the Bonn International Center for Conflict Studies (BICC). He is presently a Senior Fellow at BICC, an Adjunct Senior Researcher at the Institute for Development and Peace, University of Duisburg/Essen, Germany, and a Research Affiliate at the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Otago, New Zealand. He serves on the Scientific Council of SIPRI.