LibGuides: HIST 674- Seminar Recent U.S. History: Cold War Primary Sources

Primary Source Databases for Cold War Research

Digital National Security Archive This link opens in a new window
Digitized collection of over 104,000 declassified government documents culled from the collections of the National Security Archive, covering the most critical world events, countries, and U.S. policy decisions from post World War II through the 21st century. Glossaries, chronologies, bibliographies, overviews, and photographs are included.

CIA Freedom of Information Act Library
An important part of CIA's ongoing effort to be more open and to provide for more public accountability has been a recognition of the importance of declassifying historically significant Agency documents. The process of opening up the Agency's historical record began in the 1980s when then Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) William Casey authorized the declassification and transfer of nine million pages of OSS records to the National Archives and established the Historical Review Program.
CIA Historical Collections
Cold War History: Collections from the Wilson Center Digital Archive
Cold War Origins
"This collection of primary source documents discusses international relations during World War II and the years shortly after. It begins with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact signed in 1939 and ends with documents from the 1950’s. The collection contains a wide variety of documents including agreements, memorandums, meeting minutes, cables, letters, diary entries, and military reports from WWII. The documents mainly come from Russian and Bulgarian archives." (Wilson Center Digital Archives)
Documents Relating to American Foreign Policy (Mt. Holyoke Univ)
The National Security Archive (GWU)
The National Security Archive is a project based at George Washington University that has focused on declassifying and publishing US government documents using the Freedom of Information Act

Truman LIbrary
The Truman Library is one of fourteen Presidential Libraries operated by the Federal government.
NARA National Archives & Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper. Of all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States Federal government, only 1%-3% are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept forever.