Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. In March 1948, the Department of State sent a request for information about host country atomic energy developments to its diplomatic offices overseas. The Department directed posts to forward copies of basic laws, statutes, … Continue reading Atomic activity in Iran. How things change.
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. The book The Invisible Government, published by Random House Publishers in 1964, is one of the first major exposés of the activities of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The book was written by the … Continue reading The Department of State Reacts to Public Revelations of Intelligence Activities, 1964
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. The fall of 1968 leading up to the Presidential election on November 5, saw active peace negotiations between the United States and North Vietnam.[1] One (among many) aspect of the situation that threatened to … Continue reading Vietnam Negotiations, 1968: The Problem of Leaks
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. As World War II in Europe drew to a victorious close in late April 1945, the Department of State sent the following circular telegram to American diplomatic and consular officers.[1] In it, the Department … Continue reading Celebrating Victory in Europe (VE) Day, 1945
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. One of the more notable incidents in the combat experience of U.S. troops during World War I is that of the so-called "Lost Battalion." During the fighting in the Meuse-Argonne in October 1918, over … Continue reading Aftermath of War: A World War I Hero Lost at Sea: The Death of Charles Whittlesey, 1921
Today’s post is written by Victoria Otero, an Archivist at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland. November 18, 2018 marked 40 years since the passing of 918 people in the jungles of Guyana. While debate still exists as to whether or not the event was one of mass suicide or mass murder, the event … Continue reading Remembering Jonestown 40 Years Later
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. On January 17, 1893, Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani was overthrown in a coup. The resulting Provisional Government sent five commissioners to Washington to negotiate a treaty of annexation with the United States. To accomplish that, … Continue reading Making Good History: Preserving Records of the February 1893 Negotiations with Hawaiian Commissioners
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. This is a revision of an earlier post. Tomorrow marks the centennial of the first Thanksgiving celebration after the armistice effectively ending World War I.[1] With the end of the war, Americans had more … Continue reading Thanksgiving Around the World, 1918
Today’s post is written by David Langbart, an Archivist in the Textual Records Division at the National Archives at College Park. The Armistice effectively ending World War I went into effect at 11AM on November 11, 1918. After several earlier false rumors of the suspension of hostilities, official word of the signing of the armistice … Continue reading The 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month, 1918
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 described a minor contretemps involving use of the Department of State communications precedence indicator "NIACT" [Night Action]. That problem persisted over the years as demonstrated by a 1978 exchange of telegrams … Continue reading Why Did You Wake Us Up in the Middle of the Night?: Use of NIACT, 1978
