The Ugly American

MacWhite replaces Sears as the ambassador. He is competent in his job and committed to defeating Communism. MacWhite is well-versed in the writings of the most influential Communists and is lauded as an expert in Soviet relations and theory. He is also willing to learn from his mistakes, which sets him apart from many of his colleagues. In realizing that he can learn more by traveling the region, he leaves his post to study how other people in his position are fighting Communism. As he travels, he encounters and recruits Atkins and Colonel Hillandale, two of the characters who manage to make positive changes through their actions. MacWhite’s humility and willingness to learn eventually work against him. He is not given credit for admitting his mistakes in the field and is forced to resign when his plan for practical changes to US policy in Asia are rejected. 

Monet leads a company of the French Foreign Legion in Hanoi. He is a symbol of the French presence in Vietnam, as well as the vicious losses the French suffered in combat. Monet is a military historian and an advocate of traditional warfare. When traditional tactics fail against the locals, who prefer guerilla fighting, Monet is persuaded to read the military works of Mao Tse-tung, whose strategy their foes employ. Although Monet is a proud soldier and Frenchman, he is also willing to change his mind and be persuaded by better ideas, unlike many of his American counterparts.

In 1952, Air Force Colonel Hillandale stations in the Philippines, and locals received him well wherever he goes. He immerses himself in the foreign culture and demonstrates his love for it with his actions. Colonel Hillandale is a lover of jazz and a skilled musician; his harmonica performances are part of what bond him to the locals and give him the nickname of “the Ragtime Kid.” He is also a student of palmistry and astrology, skills he learns when he sees that the Asians believe in the occult as a serious science. This allows him to wield great tactical influence over people who believe in palmistry, but it gets him in trouble with US officials who view him as not taking the military campaign seriously.

Atkins is a retired engineer who has made himself a fortune in his field. The military recruits him to visit Southeast Asia to consult about building roads and dams. Atkins is a proud, blunt man. He knows when his ideas are good and argues against whatever he sees as inefficiencies. Atkins sees himself as a physically ugly man, but he is proud of his scarred hands and hard body, products of the decades during which he has labored. Atkins is a symbol of humility; he does not live ostentatiously. When he designs the water pump, he gives Jeepo his share of the credit and half of the profits. Atkins is interested in helping the villagers, and he shows it. He is the first American to convince the leaders of the village that they can trust some white people.