Bolivia and the United States: A Limited Partnership (United States and the Americas) [Hardcover]

Kenneth Duane Lehman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1999 | Series: United States and the Americas

This comprehensive account of U.S.-Bolivian relations presents startling contrasts between the histories, mythologies, and economies of the two countries, debunking the pop-culture myth that Bolivia is a poorer and less modern version of the United States. Kenneth D. Lehman focuses primarily on the countries' relationship during the twentieth century, highlighting periods when Bolivia became important to the United States as a provider of tin during World War II, as a potential source of regional instability during the Cold War, and as a supplier of cocaine to the U.S. market in recent years. While the partnerships forged in these situations have been rooted in mutual self-interest, the United States was--and is--clearly dominant. Repeatedly, the U.S. policy toward Bolivia has moved from assistance to frustration and imposition, and the Bolivian response has intensified from submission to resentment and resistance. Bolivia and the United States presents an illuminating discussion of the real as well as mythical bonds that link these most distant and different neighbors, simultaneously providing an abundance of evidence to show how factors of culture and power complicate and limit true partnership.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is an important contribution because for the first time it puts together the whole history of U.S.-Bolivian relations."--Erick Langer, coeditor of The New Latin American Mission History

"[Lehman] has a good grasp of Bolivian history, the Bolivian present reality, as well as the historical literature and sources."--Charles W. Arnade, University of South Florida

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Kenneth D. Lehman lived and taught in Bolivia for five years. He is currently a professor of history at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 296 pages
• Publisher: Univ of Georgia Pr (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 082032115X
• ISBN-13: 978-0820321158
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,923,324 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent History of US-Bolivia relations, December 8, 2000

By 

"kad5_2000" (Athens, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bolivia and the United States: A Limited Partnership (The United States and the Americas) (Paperback)

Lehman is one of the main scholars currently writing about US involvement in Bolivia. His essay "Revolutions and Attributions" for the journal Diplomatic History is the pinnacle of historical work on the issue of US support of the Bolivian nationalists who came to power in 1952. This book is very much a generalized history, but Lehman does offer his own points and emphasizes certain important themes. He also does a great job on dealing with the contemporary period. I would highly recommend this book as an introduction to the very interesting story of US involvement in Bolivia. For a reader not familar with Bolivian or Latin American history, it is also a good introduction for those areas of study.