Waltzing with a Dictator

Waltzing with a Dictator examines the United States' complex relationship with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos during his two-decade rule. The book charts the rise and fall of the Marcos regime through extensive research based on over 3,000 declassified U.S. government documents. Raymond Bonner traces key events including the imprisonment and assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr., and chronicles how successive U.S. administrations dealt with the Marcos government. The narrative covers the period leading up to the 1986 People Power Revolution that ultimately ended Marcos's presidency. Published in 1987, this detailed historical account focuses on the mechanics of U.S. foreign policy and its real-world implications in the Philippines. The book raises fundamental questions about American support for authoritarian regimes and the balance between strategic interests and democratic values.

Readers consistently note this book's detailed research into US-Philippines relations under Ferdinand Marcos. Many highlight Bonner's investigative journalism background and access to declassified documents. Readers appreciated: - Documentation of specific corrupt deals and money flows - Clear explanations of complex diplomatic relationships - Balance between political analysis and human interest stories - Inside accounts from key officials and witnesses Common criticisms: - Dense policy details can be dry for casual readers - Some passages get bogged down in minor historical details - Structure occasionally jumps between timeframes Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (82 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (14 ratings) Notable reader comments: "Exhaustively researched but still readable" - Goodreads reviewer "Important history that reads like a thriller" - Amazon reviewer "Too much focus on US policy minutiae" - Goodreads reviewer "Best book on this era of Philippine history" - LibraryThing reviewer

The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins This investigative history documents the U.S. support of Indonesia's military dictatorship and mass killings, revealing parallel interventions across the globe during the Cold War.

All the Shah's Men by Stephen Kinzer The book chronicles the CIA-backed overthrow of Iran's democratically elected leader and the installation of the Shah, examining the consequences for U.S.-Iran relations.

The Brothers by Stephen Kinzer The text examines how John Foster Dulles and Allen Dulles shaped U.S. foreign policy through CIA operations and corporate interests during the Cold War era.

Killing Hope by William Blum This compilation details U.S. military and CIA interventions since World War II, documenting operations in multiple countries where democratic governments were undermined.

The Pinochet File by Peter Kornbluh Based on declassified documents, this work exposes the U.S. role in Chile's 1973 coup and subsequent support of Pinochet's dictatorship.

🔸 Bonner's coverage of human rights violations in El Salvador for The New York Times won him a Pulitzer Prize nomination, leading to his expertise in investigating authoritarian regimes. 🔸 Ferdinand Marcos falsified his wartime records to portray himself as a heroic guerrilla leader, a deception that went unchallenged by U.S. officials for decades. 🔸 The CIA secretly provided $3.5 million to finance Marcos's 1969 re-election campaign, despite having evidence of widespread electoral fraud. 🔸 The People Power Revolution of 1986, which ousted Marcos, was the first successful non-violent revolution broadcast on international television. 🔸 When the Marcos family fled to Hawaii, they brought with them 24 gold bricks, jewelry worth millions, and nearly $8 million in cash.