Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. An earlier post briefly discussed former Confederate general James Longstreet's post-Civil War career in the Federal government. Among the positions he held was that of minister to Turkey (1880-81). His successor in that position … Continue reading Lew Wallace: After the Civil War
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. On June 5, 1947, Secretary of State George C. Marshall addressed the graduating class at Harvard University. In his speech, Marshall noted that World War II had caused "the dislocation of the entire fabric … Continue reading The President Says Thank You, 1948: The Marshall Plan
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. After the Civil War, former Confederates moved forward with their lives. They returned to their homes, many in tatters, their plantations and farms, now without slaves, and their businesses, now in ruins. Over the … Continue reading James Longstreet: After the Civil War
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. An earlier post discussed President Franklin D. Roosevelt's decision to request the formal resignation of all chiefs of U.S. diplomatic missions overseas (ambassadors and ministers), both career and non-career, after the election of 1940 … Continue reading “In the Interest of the Efficiency of the Foreign Service”: Changes in U.S. Diplomatic Representation Abroad After the Election of 1944
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. Recently, I located the following 1951 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) report analyzing Soviet nylon stockings: When I first saw this, I was amused that the CIA would spend time on what appears to be … Continue reading Window into the Soviet Union, 1951/Introduction to CREST
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. Noted golfing great Arnold Palmer died recently. His obituaries noted his golfing prowess and his success as a businessman, both in enterprises relating to golf and otherwise. Palmer also held a world record for … Continue reading Arnold Palmer: Record-setting Round-the-world Flyer
Today’s post was written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. In an unusual move, given that the incumbent President remained in office, after winning the election of 1940, Franklin D. Roosevelt requested the formal resignation of all chiefs of U.S. diplomatic missions overseas (ambassadors … Continue reading “In the Interest of the Efficiency of the Foreign Service”: Changes in US Diplomatic Representation Abroad after the Election of 1940
Today’s post was written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. Part 1 discussed preliminary activities relating to the bout, including the “Zaire 74” festival. In the lead-up to the fight, Foreman's sparring partner inflicted a cut over Foreman's right eye during a training session … Continue reading The Department of State Reports on the George Foreman-Muhammad Ali Fight (“The Rumble in the Jungle”) 1974, Part II
Today’s post was written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. One of Muhammad Ali's signature fights, perhaps even more famous than his wins over Sonny Liston, is the world heavyweight match with George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire, in October 1974. Given that the fight … Continue reading The Department of State Reports on the George Foreman-Muhammad Ali Fight (‘The Rumble in the Jungle’) 1974, Part I
Today’s post was written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. Recently, during travels through the records, I ran across a copy of the Republican Party's national platform from 1916. It includes sections on: ♦Protection of American Rights ♦Foreign Relations ♦Mexico ♦Monroe Doctrine ♦Latin America … Continue reading Election of 1916: Republican Platform
