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Review
| In the Eagle's Shadow: The United States and Latin America, by Kyle Longley. Wheeling, Illinois: Harlin Davidson, Inc., 2002. 340 pages. $21.95, paper.
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| This is a narrative history of U.S.-Latin American international relations from the colonial era to the present day. Major topics in U.S.-Latin American relations, such as the Monroe Doctrine, military intervention, the Good Neighbor Policy and economic strategies are covered and touched upon throughout the book in a thematic fashion. Specific events are arranged chronologically and dissected in short subchapters that would be ideal for case studies or for inclusion in a reader. In the chapter devoted to the Roosevelt years and the Good Neighbor Policy, Longley provides subchapters on Dollar Diplomacy, the Bracero program, and the Disney Corporation's role in creating pro-Latin American propaganda films for the U.S. State Department. Historians and students might be surprised that The Three Caballeros emerged from Rockefeller-inspired political media manipulation. The author writes with the student in mind, keeping the vocabulary free from arcane academic jargon, yet not shying away from complex political analysis. The writing style is even handed and historically accurate, however the interpretations tend to stay traditional. For instance, in his history of twentieth century Cuba, Longley writes of the political and military control of the island in a Cold War context. He makes much of Kennedy, Castro, Nixon, and Kruschev, but makes very little mention of the historical context in regard to race and the colonial legacies of slavery or racism. |
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Two great strengths of this book are a thematic approach and a detailed, chronologically arranged narrative of a wide swath of U.S. history. The themes and his interpretations are clearly laid out in the introduction. Longley provides the reader with explanations of asymmetrical interdependence, the U.S. drive for hegemony and Latin American resistance to this drive. These overarching themes are further subdivided into useful windows into the history of the region. I appreciated the theme of cultural hegemony and resistance throughout the book, as works of literature, artwork and electronic media were included as agents of change in history. That aspect, while minor, seems useful to an instructor working with new generations of students whose understanding of history comes mostly from electronic media. |
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When assessing this book, it is important to keep in mind the audience for which it is intended. The expert on Latin American issues, reading this book, might feel something missing in the straightforward interpretations. Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay and Peru seem to be absent throughout much of the text. A revised edition would benefit greatly from an examination of late twentieth century Colombia, especially with the recent escalations of tensions in that region. Conversely, the Caribbean and Central American regions are well accounted for, especially Costa Rica, which is an area of expertise for the author. In an area of history that is long on intense academic monographs of specific individuals, revolutions or ethnic groups, but short on narrative explanations of events, this book is a welcome addition to the field. Well organized, interesting, and readable, In the Eagle's Shadow augments an expanding historical niche. Undergraduate history and advanced high school students would find the book to be at their reading level and a fine primer on the vicissitudes of history. Graduate students specializing in U.S. foreign affairs or Latin American history could use it as a supplemental source. An instructor of undergraduate Latin American history courses would find this book to be most useful. |
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| Los Angeles Harbor College |
William Diaz-Brown |
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