The Ideal Man The Tragedy of Jim Thompson and the American Way of War (Audible Audio Edition) Joshua Kurlantzick Josh Clark Audible Studios Books
Download As PDF : The Ideal Man The Tragedy of Jim Thompson and the American Way of War (Audible Audio Edition) Joshua Kurlantzick Josh Clark Audible Studios Books
How the West's greatest spy in Asia tried to stop the new American way of war - and the steep price he paid for failing...
Jim Thompson landed in Thailand at the end of World War II, a former American society dilettante who became an Asian legend as a spy and silk magnate with access to Thai worlds outsiders never saw. As the Cold War reached Thailand, America had a choice Should it, as Thompson believed, help other nations build democracies from their traditional cultures, or as his ex-OSS friend Willis Bird argued, remake the world through deception and self-serving alliances? In a story rich with insights and intrigue, this book explores a key Cold War episode that is still playing out today.
- Highlights a pivotal moment in Cold War history that set a course for American foreign policy that is still being followed today.
- Explores the dynamics that put Thailand at the center of the Cold War and the fighting in neighboring Laos that escalated from sideshow to the largest covert operation America had ever engaged in.
- Draws on personal recollections and includes atmospheric details that bring the people, events - and the Thailand of the time - to life.
- Written by a journalist with extensive experience in Asian affairs who has spent years investigating every aspect of this story, including Thompson's tragic disappearance.
The Ideal Man The Tragedy of Jim Thompson and the American Way of War (Audible Audio Edition) Joshua Kurlantzick Josh Clark Audible Studios Books
I arrived in Thailand as a young Army Officer on 20 November 1970. Everyone knew of this legendary figure. Whispers! How had he disappeared! What happened?I too became immersed in all that is Thai.
To visit, "The house on the Klong" and I have the book. It is to me a Hajj, a journey, a spiritual journey, a historical journey, a cultural journey. Thailand use to be and can still be a cultural drug, best consumed with care.
I too came to doubt the US policy in S.E. Asia. ( I also served in Vietnam) as he did.
However, I was not a hire ranking official.
On the day I departed Thailand for Vietnam, my eyes watered, because I was leaving a dream, my friends, my Thai soldiers, my Thai friends.
I returned over 20 years later and Thailand had become so different, so, "Western."
I would come to Thailand 3 or 4 times per year for business over the next 4 years.
Thailand had, "Drank the Kool Aid." The Western way of life. So sad, so sorry.
There are days when i review photos, momentos, or art of Thailand, I think about moving to Thailand, up North. However, not to happen.
I must also inform you that I met the grand nephew of Jim Thompson. He is a noble man. A quiet man. A man whom I learn to admire and I wish there were more of him in this great country.
May God bless Jim Thompson soul and bless his family
I am so blessed and honored to have read the book and met one of his family members.
Robert Johnson
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The Ideal Man The Tragedy of Jim Thompson and the American Way of War (Audible Audio Edition) Joshua Kurlantzick Josh Clark Audible Studios Books Reviews
I visited Bangkok recently and became interested in Jim Thompson after visiting his house. The book is interesting, especially, the background of the politics and history of Thailand.
I live in Thailand and found this book to be fascinating. Anybody who has been to Thailand knows about Jim Thompson silk and I've been by his house many times without going in, but now I feel like I know the rest of the story, the cold war stuff, the alliances, the origins of some of todays relationships between high level players in Thailand and the USA. I found it to be a very interesting historically informative story.
The book was excellent but editing was terrible. Insights into U.S.A. Disastrous Southeast Asia policy in the midst of McCarthism were particularly relevant. Very good research but published book is filled with errors making it annoying to read.Great story of a remarkable American hero.
When I lived in SE Asia in the early 80's I would hear all kinds of theory's on Jim Thompson disappearance. One weekend we stayed at a private home in the area of Malaysia where he disappeared. While beautiful, with neighboring homes in the area, I would never consider strolling down the road alone or without protection since it is surrounded by jungle. I have also toured his home in Bangkok; a fascinating place kept the way it was when he lived there. Tours are well done and worth going. This book is a great read about an interesting man who did so much for the Thai people.
This book was of particular interest to me because Jim was involved with the Lao Issara and other anti-French groups in Indochina after WWII. He believed in President Roosevelt's policy of all colonies not being reoccupied by the Europeans after the war. After President Truman did not support this policy, Jim continued to work with anti-French groups. I will write more of a review in the future.
Two new things I learned reading this book were 1. that Thailand was manipulating American leaders for military and economic aid in the 1950s and 60s and 2. the common situations of Thompson's expat disenfranchisement from not only his host country of Thailand but his home-country, the USA. This is a common experience among the vast majority of expats.
Author Joshua Kurlantzick delved deeply into Jim Thompson and his situations in Thailand with fellow Americans, international expats, and US involvement in South East Asia. Thompson also witnessed the negative effects of the transformation of Thailand during the 'Americanization' period of the 1950s and 60s.
There is lots of information about specific Thai political figures and occurrences in Thailand during the 1950s. A reader can learn a lot about the Thai political and economic situation starting with the post WWII leadership of Pridi who led the Thai democratic party and the country itself. Thompson knew Pridi and met with him on occasion. At this time the Viet Minh were working to drive the French colonialists out of VN. Thompson noted that the Viet Minh fighters were nationalists first and would possibly use communism to drive the French out if Washington shunned them. The Viet Minh would choose Washington over Moscow if the US gave support. This was not the case and the Viet Minh allied with Moscow. Thompson presciently predicted the future in advance, yet was doubted by the upper echelons of the US government military. Thompson accurately knew what was happening, much moreso than the American civilian bureaucrats and military leaders back in D.C. Even bureaucrats and military leaders that were in South East Asia were incredibly ignorant of South East Asia in general and Vietnam in particular.
The CIA eventually put a "burn" on Thompson, ordering US government civilians and military personnel to avoid contact with Thompson. He said things the civilian and military bureaucrats did not want to hear.
What is intriguing is that although Jim Thompson was a unique person who was in many ways 'larger than life,' he experienced the common conditions and afflictions of being a long-term expat --> He had no home. For many long-term expats living abroad their native country is no longer "home" and their host country isn't either and will never be. Many long-term expats can relate to this. Many (but not all) expats are not a part of the host nation's society, culture and legal system, yet they are not a part of these elements in their native country either after several years abroad. To some this brings a feeling of being marginalized while to others it's feeling that you are more a 'citizen of the world' surrounded by your own bubble of friends, family, and colleagues, wherever you may be on the planet.
The early life of Thompson by Kurlantzick shows him born and raised in an aristocratic Delaware family with connections. Thompson went to NYC and lived well in New York and worked as architect. In the Army during WWII at the age of 34 however, Thompson was a private first-class and had to salute the many "dregs of Delaware." Thompson referred to the this period of the 1930s and 40s as what he described as a "total waste." But Thompson applied for training into the OSS (precursor to the CIA) and attained the rank of Major after successfully completing the training. This is when his expat life began, as he was transferred to work in North Africa and the Mediterranean theaters during WWII.
After WWII, Thompson would end up in Thailand and gain powerful connections, trust, and friendship of many influential Thais.
He regularly hosted guests for dinner which included tours of his house, his art collection, and scotch, during the sunset in the Bangkok heat. Some of his dinner guests included Eleanor Roosevelt, the du Pont, and Truman Capote.
Jim Thompson has always held some mythic lore in the expat community of South East. I think there are three the main reasons his past work in the OSS, becoming the "Silk King," and the mysterious circumstances of his disappearance.
This is a very informative book because it delved into Thompson's views of US involvement in South East Asia, the transformation of Thailand, and doing business as a expat. Like almost all expats, Thompson went through stages of difficulty and what I would define as culture shock.
Interest by most in Jim Thompson seems to focus on his mysterious and still unsolved disappearance. But far more intriguing, was his life.
A great book by Joshua Kurlantzick.
I arrived in Thailand as a young Army Officer on 20 November 1970. Everyone knew of this legendary figure. Whispers! How had he disappeared! What happened?
I too became immersed in all that is Thai.
To visit, "The house on the Klong" and I have the book. It is to me a Hajj, a journey, a spiritual journey, a historical journey, a cultural journey. Thailand use to be and can still be a cultural drug, best consumed with care.
I too came to doubt the US policy in S.E. Asia. ( I also served in Vietnam) as he did.
However, I was not a hire ranking official.
On the day I departed Thailand for Vietnam, my eyes watered, because I was leaving a dream, my friends, my Thai soldiers, my Thai friends.
I returned over 20 years later and Thailand had become so different, so, "Western."
I would come to Thailand 3 or 4 times per year for business over the next 4 years.
Thailand had, "Drank the Kool Aid." The Western way of life. So sad, so sorry.
There are days when i review photos, momentos, or art of Thailand, I think about moving to Thailand, up North. However, not to happen.
I must also inform you that I met the grand nephew of Jim Thompson. He is a noble man. A quiet man. A man whom I learn to admire and I wish there were more of him in this great country.
May God bless Jim Thompson soul and bless his family
I am so blessed and honored to have read the book and met one of his family members.
Robert Johnson
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