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The Ugly American Analysis

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Set in a fictitious country named Sarkhan in Southeast Asia, The Ugly American tells the tales of foreign diplomats, dignitaries, and humanitarians who attempt to implement or impose U.S. policies and customs onto sovereign nations. The backdrop for these exploits takes place during the time of Communist expansion in the region with the help of Russian and Chinese influence. The book shows how American behavior can positively and negatively influence the perception of its citizens and affect the outcome of American efforts. The authors illustrate the struggles America encountered in combating Communism and the strategies employed by our adversaries to allow it to flourish. The issues described in the book are as relevant today as they were almost 60 years ago when first written. In this paper, I will juxtapose some of the characters in the book with the ARSOF imperatives - the guidelines SOF operators need to know, understand, and employ to achieve mission success when working in the joint, interagency, intergovernmental, and multinational (JIIM) environment, highlight the successes and shortcomings each person encountered, and discuss the …show more content…

Hillandale, “The Ragtime Kid”, who wins over the hearts and minds of the people of Manila, in the Philippines. He spoke the local language, played favorite songs on his harmonica, enjoyed the local food, and adopted the culture of the people in any way he could. The Communist view in northern Manila depicted Americans as rich snobs and accused those who associated with them as being out of touch with the local populace. To counter this belief, Hillandale paints a picture of his life in America as very similar to a Filipino life, where money is scarce and the cost of living is expensive. In doing all this, he is able to advance U.S. interests in the area by assisting the local politician, Magsaysay, win the provincial presidential election against tough Communist

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