On February 8, 1967, famed American author John Steinbeck, then in Bangkok, Thailand, sent Secretary of State Dean Rusk a letter. In it, Steinbeck excoriated the performance of the press in Vietnam and criticized anti-war protesters. Steinbeck is the author of major American literary classics such as Tortilla Flat (1935), Of Mice and Men (1937), … Continue reading The Wrath of Steinbeck: John Steinbeck on the Press in Vietnam, 1967
Today’s post is written by Cody White, Archivist at the National Archives at Denver. “That’s a mechanical drawing . . . where’s some human interest?” posed the famous artist as he took in the vista of Arizona’s 710-foot-tall, 1,560-foot-wide Glen Canyon Dam. The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) staffers accompanying the artist—who at that point in … Continue reading Norman Rockwell and his Dam Painting
Employees in a bureaucracy do not always receive recognition for their contributions to the success of their institutions. This is especially true in large agencies facing a constant barrage of activities such as the Department of State. There are occasional exceptions to that rule. One of those came about in early 1952 after the mid-January … Continue reading Recognition for a job well done, 1952
During the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962, communications personnel in the Department of State and at U.S. diplomatic posts overseas handling telegraphic communications went into overdrive. In addition to the standard day-to-day telegrams flowing back and forth between the Department and its diplomatic and consular posts overseas, the communicators had to take care of … Continue reading Recognition for a job well done, 1962
By late December 1960 and early January 1961, the last 30 days of the Eisenhower presidency, the U.S. relationship with Fidel Castro-led Cuba had deteriorated to the point where formal relations were about to be severed. On December 31, 1960, the U.S. embassy in Havana reported that the Cuban “revolutionary press” was carrying stories that … Continue reading “Nuts” Redux
Today's post was written by Katherine Terry, archives technician at the National Archives at St. Louis Keep your helmet, keep your life, son Just a flesh wound, here’s your rifle Crawling up the beaches now “Sir, I think he’s bleeding out” And some things you just can’t speak about - “epiphany” In the vast landscape … Continue reading We Will Be Remembered: Taylor Swift’s Grandfathers and Their Unsung Military Service
Superintendent Albert Reagan of the Nett Lake Agency in Northern Minnesota was fed up with Tom Fisher. Fisher, a reservation policeman, was already on thin ice with Reagan when Fisher dropped into the agency office on November 16th and complained that he worked too hard. The superintendent vented to his office diary, listing exactly how … Continue reading Dear Diary; the Official Diaries of Office of Indian Affairs Superintendents, 1907-1917
Theatrical Release Poster, Paths of Glory, 1957 The 1957 motion picture Paths of Glory, directed by Stanley Kubrick, is one of the more famous anti-war movies of all time. It is set during World War I. A French colonel, played by Kirk Douglas, defends three of his soldiers who have been falsely accused of cowardice … Continue reading International Problems With “Paths of Glory,” 1958
Today's post was written by Catherine Brandsen, Innovation Hub Coordinator at the National Archives in Washington, DC. In the spring of 1864, a white Private named Stephen Twombley of the 1st Maine Cavalry was taken prisoner by Confederates. While being transported on train cars to Andersonville Prison, Twombley jumped from the train and escaped into … Continue reading From the Pension Files: the Story of Stephen Twombley
In honor of the spookiest time of year, this blog post spotlights the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) case files on the late American actor Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. (100-HQ-410935, 100-LA-34677, and 100-WFO-38897). Price is best known for being one of Hollywood’s original four Kings of Horror. From 1938 to 1993, he terrified audiences and … Continue reading Vincent Price and The “Secret Letter” to the FBI
