The Ugly American

The Ugly American is an American novel written by Eugene Burdick and William Lederer. First published in 1958, it became a bestselling book. This book first came on the scene as America was on the threshold of diving into the murky swamp known as the Vietnam War, and it had a great influence on America’s public opinion.

It is interesting that this novel is still published in the United States and that sales remain high. The book describes imaginary American experiences in a fictitious place called “Srkhan” in Southeast Asia, modeled on a place such as Burma or Thailand (although, in fact, the authors hoped to characterize Vietnam). It has also been said that the book was based on the experiences of a number of real people (but with the use of pseudonyms), told in the form of story. It relayed that the United States was losing the war against the communists because of arrogance and pride, and due to a failure to understand local culture. The book alluded to two sides of the same idea — an ambiguous hero who was physically attractive, but whose behavior was ugly. The ugliness came from serving as an agent of the American government.

In this book, Burmese journalist Homer Tki Nz, an engineer who helped local people by making a bicycle-powered water pump, says, “The Americans I have met here, they are not like those I have seen in America. When they go to foreign countries, their mode changes in such a strange way. They are socially isolated and separated, very pretentious and arrogantly behave towards people like they’re better than anybody else. They are overly satisfied with themselves, and herein is the Ugly American.”

In 1963, the book was made into a movie of the same name, and one of Hollywood’s most famous actors of the time, Marlon Brando, got the lead role. The role of Kevin Sai, the prime minister of the hypothetical land “Srkhan”, was played by a Thai actor, Kukrit Pramoj, who, 12 years later in 1975, became the actual prime minister of Thailand.

In both the book and the film, the character of Colonel Hylandyl is one many believe to be based on Lieutenant General Edward Lansdale, who specialized in anti-guerrilla operations. This film was released in the midst of the honeymoon period between the shah of Iran and the American government, and was shown in the cinema in Tehran. But they changed the name of the movie, so cinemas billed it as “American Hero.”

At the time, I was a student at Tehran University and I bought a ticket to see this movie solely because I loved Marlon Brando. A group of us had a good time; we were young and the future seemed to be smiling on us. We believed we were enlightened and fashionable, in accordance with that time. And like most youths and students, we acted as though we had more understanding and knowledge than anybody else.

Over the course of the final few years of primary school and the beginning of high school, I learned a few English words from Headmaster Standish. Thanks to this English literacy, even at the first moment of the film I understood something had changed and I had to ask, “What the heck?” It was incredibly unfair that it was being billed as “American Hero” instead of “Ugly American” to us, the most educated and smartest of people. Indeed, at that realization, I felt upset; I didn’t care about the message of the movie, or perhaps at that time I didn’t precisely understand.

After all the lessons, homework and classes were finished, we entered into life and work and became a part of so-called society. I entered into society running with my Samsonite bag to various branches of court for advocacy seals and to make the record book for getting my point across, the life of a lawyer. For close to forty years I was “the servant of the government,” in an atmosphere where diplomacy does not work. For my part, I learned to just breathe, listen and watch as, alas, there was no way to be heard.

They say history will be repeated. Mark Twain also said, “It is not worthwhile to try to keep history from repeating itself, for man’s character will always make the preventing of the repetitions impossible.” Therefore, I hope to find agreement with my opinion that every politician should review history and what they think they know, and should polish off their knowledge. A review of history from one or two centuries ago would show the American in search of gold, who then sought to have Iran’s black gold, and how they lost it in Iran’s policy as in a game of poker.

In the first multi-screen displays they were billed as heroes, but then they were ugly. Certainly some of you have read or heard stories of American “heroes” and also of “ugly” Americans. If you haven’t read it or you don’t know it, let this episode show you so we can review together. If you chose to stay and read, please follow these conditions: Have patience, do not judge quickly and stay until the end.

To be continued…