Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Ugly American, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Failure of the American Foreign Service
Communism vs. Capitalism
Grassroots Development
Self-Interested Philanthropy
Racism and Cultural Insensitivity
Summary
Analysis
In Hong Kong, Solomon Asch leads the American delegation in discussing nuclear armament with delegates from Thailand, Burma, and India, England, and France. He thinks most of the other Americans won’t be useful to him, except perhaps for MacWhite and the short Navy officer, Captain Boning. In a meeting beforehand, Asch briefs his subordinates on what he expects: everyone will practice strict discipline, never challenge him in front of other delegates, and avoid all cocktail parties and most other social engagements, since they will need all energy and focus at the negotiating table. Some of the diplomats are visibly disappointed. MacWhite and Boning are the only diplomats who seem to approve of Asch’s strictness. As everyone leaves, Asch tells Boning that as their only person with technical knowledge of nuclear weapons, he plays a critical role. Boning must answer any questions quickly and directly.
Asch and Boning’s story demonstrates the delicacy of international negotiations and how easily they can fall apart, even over small indiscretions. Asch’s assumption that most of his diplomats are worthless suggests that, after years of service, Asch expects very little of his fellow Americans. The American diplomats’ annoyance that Asch demands strict discipline and no socializing suggests that most diplomats habitually behave in the opposite way. Asch specifically singling out Boning suggests that Boning is the pivotal character whose behavior will guide the vignette.
Themes
The delegates spend the first day of the conference deciding where the next meeting will be held. Asch wants it held in India, since the Indians are most hesitant about accepting nuclear weapons in their country. The debate lasts for six hours without moving, until Asch privately tells the Indian delegates that the America will secretly cover all costs of the next meeting if they will agree to host it in India. The Indian delegates agree, and the matter is swiftly settled.
Asch’s secret deal with the Indian delegates allows them to have the honor of hosting their next meeting without having to front the cost, since America will secretly pay for it. Asch’s maneuvering with the Indian delegates demonstrates that he is a shrewd negotiator, willing to sacrifice or accept financial burdens in order to achieve a greater goal.
Themes
The next day, negotiations begin over which countries will accept nuclear weapons from America. Asch directs all political questions to MacWhite and all technical questions to Boning, and both perform well, answering “without any air of condescension.” This irritates the English and French delegates, since they do not like speaking frankly about military issues with Asian people, preferring to condescend to them instead. When the English and French privately confront Asch on the matter, he tells them that their attitudes have spoiled international relations for several generations. Unless they treat the other delegates as equals, no one will want to cooperate and negotiations will never be successful.
The English and French delegates’ tendency to talk down to the Asian nations suggests that their own racial prejudice and colonial history negatively impact their performance as negotiators. Asch’s warning that they must treat others as equals or else negotiations will fail implies that treating non-white people as equals is not only morally right, but politically pragmatic, as it makes all parties more open to negotiation and cooperation. This warning pertains not only to negotiations, but all interactions where American and European diplomats may be tempted to look down on other nations.
Themes
The first week of negotiations go well, but the second week starts to bog down. Asch notes that Boning is slower than he was the first week. He often nods off after lunch, which offends the Asian delegates, and pauses a moment before answering questions, giving them the impression he is withholding information. Asch privately confronts Boning about his poor performance and asks if he’s “living it up at night.” Boning insists that he’s not, though, in fact, he is.
The negotiations begin to derail simply because Boning struggles to stay awake and hesitates when answering, neither of which appear to be major indiscretions. This demonstrates how careful diplomats must be during international negotiations, and how their success or failure can pivot on the smallest interactions and details.
Themes
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One of the American diplomats had earlier introduced Boning to a Chinese doctor named Ruby Tsung, who was secretly trained in a school outside Moscow. Tsung starts showing Boning around Hong Kong in the evenings, which later turns into dinners, and develops into nightly affairs. Rather than sleeping or reviewing his notes, Boning spends most of each night with his mistress.
Tsung’s training in a Moscow school implies that she is a Communist agent. Regardless, Boning’s lack of sleep each night causes his performance to falter at the negotiating table, demonstrating how even one’s private indiscretions can affect international affairs.
Themes
Three weeks into the conference, negotiations are reaching their “climax.” Asch makes his final pitch, asking the Asian delegates to allow America to store nuclear bombs in their countries. When an Indian delegate asks a question about safety features, Boning is dozing and does not hear it. Asch wakes him, restating the question, but Boning cannot think clearly and hesitates. When a delegate asks a follow-up question, Boning hesitates again and states that the answer is classified information. An Indian colonel declares that such conferences always end this way, with America talking down to other countries and refusing to share information. The Indians become hardened against the prospect of cooperating with America, and the negotiations fall apart.
The Indian delegates’ anger at being condescended to suggests that even perceived racial prejudice can derail international relationships. Again, Boning’s personal irresponsibility affects his professional performance, which loses America a major strategic and diplomatic opportunity. Boning’s error stresses that American diplomats must be professional and responsible at all times. However, even the most professional diplomat, like Solomon Asch, may be undermined by the negligence of his coworkers.
Themes
