Strategic Studies (SAIS)
Primary Sources
Below is a list of institutions where military archival collections can be found. Some of these institutions include digitized collections on their website. For help finding archival documents collections on your topic, see the Finding Archived Materials page in the Primary Source Research in International Relations guide.
- Digital National Security Archive This link opens in a new windowVia ProQuest, collections of declassified government documents covering U.S. policy toward critical world events from 1945 to present.
- NARA: U. S. National Archives and Records AdministrationClick on "Research Our Records" to learn more about the holdings of the National Archives and how to access them.
- Library of Congress Manuscript Reading RoomA major repository for the personal papers of famous U.S. citizens.
- Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA)The Air Force Historical Research Agency is the repository for Air Force historical documents. It represents the world's largest and most valuable organized collection of documents on US military aviation.
- Air Force Historical Support DivisionClosely related to the Air Force Historical Research Agency, but located at Bolling Air Force Base.
- Conflict Records Research Center (INSS)Archival collections at the National Defense University, Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS).
- Naval History and Heritage CommandGives links to online resources of the U. S. Naval History and Heritage Command, as well as information about other services of the command.
- NATO e-LibraryIncludes official & basic texts, NATO Archives, NATO multimedia library, and more.
- Ike Skelton Combined Arms Research Library (CARL) Digital LibraryIncludes WWII Operational Documents, Nafziger orders of battle, general military history on the US Civil War, Korean and Vietnam Wars, among others.
- Office of the Secretary of Defense, Historical OfficeCollects, preserves, and presents the history of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Includes official histories and oral history transcripts.
- American Naval Records SocietyIts mission is to foster the expansion of research into, writing about and teaching of American naval history through the publication of documentary sources.
- Joint Chiefs of Staff History OfficeThe mission of the Joint History Office is to create the record of activities of the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Staff and to capture and document all aspects of joint operations conducted by the Armed Forces of the United States.
- DoD Office of Inspector General, Lead Inspector General ReportsReports from 1987-current
- Gale Primary Sources This link opens in a new windowSearches multiple primary document databases at one time, including Gale's historical newspaper collections.
- Archives Unbound This link opens in a new windowMultiple document collections covering a broad range of topics, including World War II and 20th century political history.
- American Civil War Letters and Diaries This link opens in a new windowContains diaries, letters and memoirs, some previously unpublished, of participants and families.
- First World War This link opens in a new windowDocument collections sourced from the National Archives, Kew - the UK government's official archive. Includes personal experiences, propaganda and recruitment, visual perspectives and narratives.
- History Vault This link opens in a new windowIncludes U.S. Military Intelligence Reports; World War II: U.S. Documents on Planning, Operations, Intelligence, Axis War Crimes, and Refugees; Office of Strategic Services (OSS)-State Department Intelligence and Research Reports, 1941-1961; Vietnam War and American Foreign Policy, 1960-1975.
- ProQuest Congressional This link opens in a new windowFor campaigns involving the U.S., this database has full-text Congressional hearings and other congressional documents, dating back to 1789.
- Library of Congress, War & Military Digital CollectionsA sub-set of the Library of Congress' Digital Collections.
- Spanish-American WarA Library of Congress guide drawing together digital and archival resources available for research on the Spanish-American War.
- AM Scholar: World War II Studies This link opens in a new windowIncludes the following collections: Cabinet Papers; Diaries of James V. Forrestal, 1944-1949; Japan and America; Special Operations Executive; and, Soviet War Posters.
- Iraq, 1914-1974 This link opens in a new windowOffers a broad range of original source material from the Foreign Office, Colonial Office, War Office and Cabinet Papers covering the period from the Anglo-Indian landing in Basra in 1914 through the British Mandate in Iraq of 1920-32 to the rise of Saddam Hussein in 1974.
- Vietnam Center and ArchiveCollects and preserves the documentary record of the Vietnam War at Texas Tech University. Includes many digitized collections.
- Military Oral HistoriesVirginia Military Institute's (VMI) collection spans the World War II era through recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Terrorist Documents & StatementsLinks collected by the Dudley Knox Library, Naval Postgraduate School.
- Online Reading Room, Naval History and Heritage CommandOriginal and transcribed documents covering U.S. Navy since 1775.
- Digital National Security Archive This link opens in a new windowVia ProQuest, collections of declassified government documents covering U.S. policy toward critical world events from 1945 to present.
- U.S. Declassified Documents Online This link opens in a new windowOnline access to previously classified government documents, covering major international events from the Cold War to the Vietnam War and beyond.
- National Security ArchiveLocated at George Washington University' Gelman Library, this archive provides access to an important collection of declassified material.
- Documents and Minutes of the National Security CouncilTo search both the "Documents of the National Security Council" and "Minutes of Meetings of the National Security Council" sets, select the "International Relations and Military Conflicts" collection, then select to search the "Vietnam War and American Foreign Policy" collection.
- Presidential Directives SourcesLibrary of Congress page listing resources that reproduce presidential directives
- Declassified Documents Online: Twentieth-Century British IntelligenceConsists of documents from five UK government departments: Security Service (MI5); The Ministry of Defence: Communications and Intelligence Records; The Special Operations Executive; The Colonial Office: Intelligence and Security Departments; and, The Cabinet Office (CAB).
- Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading RoomView documents released through the FOIA and other CIA release programs.
- FBI Records: the VaultDeclassified digitized FBI records.
- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)From the Nat'l Archives, a guide to the process of requesting (through FOIA) a document that hasn't already been declassified.
- U.S. Department of State Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)Each federal agency is responsible for meeting its FOIA responsibilities for its own records. This site offers guidance for requesting State Dept. documents.
- American Civil War Battle MapsBattlefield maps from the Civil War Trust. Downloadable as PDFs.
- Military Battles and Campaigns: Library of Congress MapsThousands of scanned maps showing from major military conflicts, including troop movements, defensive structures and groundworks, roads to and from sites of military engagements, campsites, etc.
- West Point Military AtlasCampaign atlases developed by the US Military Academy used in teaching cadets. Mainly US, but also includes campaigns throughout the world and history.
- Map Vault This link opens in a new windowA collection of commercially owned geospatial maps comprising hundreds of series, and different themes. Includes the collection of Soviet Military Topographical Maps of the world.
- Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection (Univ. of Texas)A good source of digitized maps, including CIA maps.
- World War II Military Situation MapsDigitized maps available via Library of Congress.
- Korean War MapsMaps from various U.S. Center for Military History publications.
- George III's Collection of Military MapsCollection comprises some 3,000 maps, views and prints ranging from 1532 to 1815.
For more digitized map collections, see the Maps page in the Primary Sources for International Relations guide.