Israel in the American mind : the cultural politics of US-Israeli relations,1958-1988 / Shaul Mitelpunkt, University of York

Includes bibliographical references (pages 343-368) and index.

Machine generated contents note: List of Figures; Acknowledgments; Introduction: "Did I see only America?"; Part I. The Disciple State; 1. "Lie Without Blushing": Manipulation and Friction in the Courtship of Patronage, 1958-1960; 2. "Might as well be the Midwest": Visions of Israel as a Development Project, 1961-1967; Part II. The Citizen Soldier; 3. Envying "indomitable citizenry": The Zenith of US Fascination with the Israeli Citizen-Soldier, 1967-1973; 4. Reforming Sparta: The October War and the Collapse of the Citizen-Soldier Idyll, 1973-1976; Part III. Processes of Peach and War; 5. "We ARE moral leaders in the world": The Popular Foundations of the Camp David Agreement, 1976-1979; 6. "Recollections and Regrets": Israel and the Conservative-Liberal Divide, 1980-1988; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

"This book examines the changing meanings Americans and Israelis invested in the relationship between their countries from the late 1950s to its solidification as a military alliance in the 1980s. Bringing to light previously unexamined sources, this study is the first to investigate the intricate mechanisms that defined and redefined Israel's image in American imagination through the war-strewn 1960s and 1970s. Departing from traditional diplomatic histories that focus on the political elites, Shaul Mitelpunkt places the relationship deep in the cultural, social, intellectual, and ideological landscapes of both societies. Examining Israeli propaganda operations in America, Mitelpunkt also pays close attention to the way Israelis manipulated and responded to American perceptions of their country, and reveals the reservations some expressed towards their country's relationship with the U.S. By contextualizing the relationship within the changing domestic concerns in both countries, this book provides a truly transnational history of U.S.-Israeli relations"-- Provided by publisher.

"Mark inspired me to consider the creative potentials of transnational history, and I repaid this by writing a seminar paper about an illicit cartoon duck (not included herein). To my surprise Mark thought this might be going somewhere, and provided me with an inimitable combination of wise guidance and generous trust. His dedication to every stage of my research and overall professional development, as well as his detailed critique on my work and imaginative ideas and solutions had a substantial effect on this project. Mark's vision helped me believe this project would be feasible long before it was entirely mapped out, and his encouragement guided me throughout the dissertation-writing process and beyond"-- Provided by publisher.