The Weak and the Powerful

Reviews / Votes

The Weak and the Powerful is a first-rate synthesis by a seasoned historian of an unconventional military dictatorship. * Hispanic American Historical Review * This book is equal parts political biography, military history, and the history of US-Latin American relations. This is a fitting approach to understand how Omar Torrijos-a leftist military reformer and authoritarian leader-navigated political and military realities in Panama and Latin America from 1968 to 1981. . . . For those new to the topic, Brown's story of how Torrijos's friend, film star John Wayne, tried to persuade Republican presidential candidate Ronald Reagan to support the treaty is worth the cover price. Equally valuable here is Brown's nuanced treatment of and concerns with Torrijos's engagement in the Sandinista Revolution and his regret for supporting Fidel Castro's arming of Central American revolutionaries. * Choice Reviews * Written in an accessible and engaging style, The Weak and the Powerful offers a survey of all aspects of the Panamanian Revolution, which has fared poorly in the extant historiography in comparison to the more radical Peruvian Revolution of 1968-75. It is a most welcome addition to the rather sparse literature on twentieth-century Panama. * International Affairs * A welcome addition to our understanding of the evolution of modern Panama and the seminal role Torrijos played in its modern history as well as that of the Western world. This is a treasure trove of information that deepens our understanding of the man who was easily Latin America's most enigmatic leader. * The Americas * An excellent and worthwhile addition to Latin American and Cold War historiography. * The Latin Americanist * Thankfully, the versatile and accomplished historian Jonathan Brown has helped set things straight with his engaging and well-researched new book. * Revista, Harvard Review of Latin America * Jonathan Brown has once again turned to challenge stereotypical understandings of Latin America in the world. This time he explores how Panama's Omar Torrijos engaged the United States in post-Vietnam, post-Nixon times, lobbying Jimmy Carter to claim control of the Panama Canal for his small and weak nation, furthering the Non-Aligned Movement in a world still shaped by Cold War tensions. -- John Tutino, Georgetown University Brown has constructed an original account from a fresh perspective that both adds to the history of the Panama Canal treaties and makes broader arguments of far wider relevance and potential interest to readers. -- James Hershberg, George Washington University This is an excellent study on the important topic of how weak states negotiate their troubled relationships with more powerful ones-and also on the power of personality in international diplomacy. * Journal of American History *