To What Extent Were US Intelligence Failures at Pearl Harbor and the Vietnam War a Result of Cultural Bias in Intelligence Analysis ?

Abstract

Pearl Harbor and many aspects of the Vietnam War have been widely acknowledged as being riddled with intelligence failures on behalf of the US intelligence and military community. Yet, the role of cultural bias in these events has been underestimated. This study uses primary and secondary sources to argue that in both cases, the intelligence community miscalculated the enemy’s intentions and failed to provide an accurate cultural assessment of the situation, which led to poor strategic decisions. Cultural superiority, arrogance, Orientalism, mirror-imaging, and other characteristics of the intelligence community culture played a significant role in this intelligence miscalculation. Moreover, the dissertation reveals that no major changes have been made to eliminate or at least minimize pervasive cultural bias in the American intelligence agencies, despite gradual recognition of its role within the intelligence community.