The Ugly American

Solomon Asch is serving a six-month assignment as head of the American Delegation to the Special Armament section of the Asia Conference. His committee will decide what kind of weapons, if any, the United States will distribute among its allies in Asia. On the committee is a small Navy Captain named Boning. Asch notices that Boning wears shoes with elevated heels to make himself taller. 

Asch begins the first meeting by forbidding them from going to the many cocktail parties that will occur during the three-week conference. Ambassador MacWhite and Captain Boning approve. The rest—particularly two men named Dooling and Anderson—are offended. Afterwards, Asch speaks with Boning. As a weapons expert, he will be pivotal in the conversations, and the others will depend on his knowledge. Asch says, “When I call on you to comment, answer exactly the question that I put to you. Not more and nothing less” (180). 

The first two days of meetings are uneventful. MacWhite and Boning handle their questions well. At the conference, Asch sees that the Asians irritate the French and English representatives. They visit Asch in his hotel that evening and say that they are uncomfortable talking about advanced weaponry with the Asians, who are, in their view, lacking the sophisticated technical knowledge to understand the discussion.