Simon Smith has conducted diligent research in the UK National Archives, Harold Wilson’s private papers, and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library among other sources, emerging with a collection of bilateral correspondence published in one place for the first time (some of the material is also available in the relevant 1964–1968 Foreign Relations of the United States series). Smith builds on research done on this era by the likes of Jonathan Colman and broader diplomatic and case-study contributions from, among others, John Young, the late Saki Dockrill, Sylvia Ellis, and John Dumbrell. The introduction is in the form of an in-depth historiographical essay on the WilsonJohnson relationship. Drawing on the rich vein of writing and other works on U.S.UK relations of the last two decades, as well as numerous biographies and memoirs, the introduction provides an excellent overview of the key issues, developments, and interpretations of the “special relationship” during these years. The established interpretation of a turbulent, occasionally fractious relationship between the two leaders is maintained, albeit one much better than often assumed when the finer details are examined; and the message from the subsequent collection likewise conveys a closer connection. Johnson, for example, often emphasized the value he saw in his “friendship” with Wilson. The volume thus allows the reader to question what is meant by a “special relationship” as articulated through the pragmatic and personal connection between the two men. The content further reveals the wide range of subjects the two men conversed on in an era of much international political and economic upheaval. Presenting such high-level, chronological communication gives readers an insight into one element of an empirical approach to diplomatic relations, not least one as heavily scrutinized as the U.S.-UK connection. Such an approach fits the occasionally heard comment on studies of the “special relationship”: that the focus tends to be on the elite level whereas the actual glue of the partnership is bonded at a lower, bureaucratic level, particularly through the diplomatic service and embassies (the latter’s role is the focus of two Palgrave studies, in 2009 and 2012). In addition, much “unseen” cooperation is carried out in the defense and intelligence establishments. Nevertheless, many useful insights can be drawn from high-level correspondence. Here the selection demonstrates that Wilson was far from a puppet of the U.S. president and not sycophantic in his written dealings, as has been suggested in the past.

中文翻译：

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威尔逊-约翰逊的通信，1964-69 威尔逊-约翰逊的通信，1964-69。作者：Simon C. Smith，编辑，英国法纳姆：阿什盖特，2015 年。323 页。75.00 英镑。

西蒙·史密斯 (Simon Smith) 在英国国家档案馆、哈罗德·威尔逊的私人论文和林登·贝恩斯·约翰逊图书馆等资源中进行了勤奋的研究，首次在一个地方出版了一系列双边信件（其中一些材料也可用）在相关的 1964-1968 年美国外交关系系列中）。Smith 建立在 Jonathan Colman 等人对这个时代所做的研究以及更广泛的外交和案例研究贡献的基础上，其中包括 John Young、已故的 Saki Dockrill、Sylvia Ellis 和 John Dumbrell。介绍以一篇关于威尔逊约翰逊关系的深入史学文章的形式出现。借鉴了过去二十年关于 USUK 关系的丰富写作和其他作品，以及众多传记和回忆录，引言很好地概述了这些年来“特殊关系”的关键问题、发展和解释。两位领导人之间动荡的、偶尔出现的不稳定关系的既定解释得到了维持，尽管在审查更精细的细节时，这种解释比通常假设的要好得多。来自后续系列的信息同样传达了更紧密的联系。例如，约翰逊经常强调他在与威尔逊的“友谊”中看到的价值。因此，这本书让读者可以质疑通过两人之间务实的个人联系表达的“特殊关系”的含义。内容进一步揭示了两人在国际政治和经济动荡的时代所谈论的广泛话题。呈现这种高层次的、按时间顺序排列的交流让读者深入了解外交关系实证方法的一个要素，尤其是像美英关系那样受到严格审查的要素。这种方法符合偶尔听到的关于“特殊关系”研究的评论：重点往往集中在精英层面，而伙伴关系的实际粘合剂则是在较低的官僚层面，特别是通过外交部门和大使馆。 （后者的作用是 2009 年和 2012 年 Palgrave 两项研究的重点）。此外，在国防和情报机构中进行了许多“看不见的”合作。然而，可以从高层通信中得出许多有用的见解。这里的选择表明威尔逊远非美国的傀儡