Shame and humiliation : presidential decision making on Vietnam / Blema S. Steinberg.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Steinberg, Blema S.

Series:

Pitt series in policy and institutional studies.

Pitt series in policy and institutional studies

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Vietnam War, 1961-1975--United States.

Vietnam War, 1961-1975.

Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Psychological aspects.

United States--Politics and government--20th century.

United States.

Physical Description:

ix, 397 p.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Pittsburgh, Pa. : University of Pittsburgh Press, c1996.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Steinberg focuses on the narcissistic personality, identifying it as intensely self-involved and preoccupied with success and recognition as a substitute for parental love. She asserts that narcissistic leaders are most likely to use force when they fear being humiliated for failing to act and when they need to restore their diminished sense of self-worth. Providing case studies of Johnson, Nixon, and Eisenhower, Steinberg describes the childhood, maturation, and career of each president, documenting key personality attributes, and then discusses each one's Vietnam policy in light of these traits. She contends that Johnson authorized the bombing of Vietnam in part because he feared the humiliation that would come from inaction, and that Nixon escalated U.S. intervention in Cambodia in part because of his low sense of self-esteem. Steinberg contrasts these two presidents with Eisenhower, who was psychologically secure and was, therefore, able to carry out a careful and thoughtful analysis of the problem he faced in Indochina. Shame and Humiliation reveals how personality traits affect our perception of reality and offers a powerful demonstration of the impact of psychodynamics on presidential decision making.

Contents:

Front Matter

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Shame, Humiliation, Loss of Self-Esteem, and Aggression

Lyndon Johnson: The Humiliated Narcissist

Johnson and Vietnam

Richard Nixon: The Angry Narcissist

Nixon and Cambodia

Dwight Eisenhower: The Healthy Narcissist

Eisenhower and Dien Bien Phu

Conclusion

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. [363]-378) and index.

ISBN:

1-282-85383-X

9786612853838

0-7735-6590-6

OCLC:

923230814