Research Guides: HIST 491C: International Politics of the Second World War (Spring 2023): Government Documents & Treaties

Introduction

The selected government documents, treaties and international agreements listed below provide information on foreign relations and policy of Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In addition to these materials, we have access to databases that have compiled the Presidential, Congressional and Parliamentary work of US and UK.

Print Government Documents

Documents on British Foreign Policy, 1919-1939 by Great Britain Foreign Office A collection of the most important documents in British Foreign Office archives relating to efforts to preserve peace between the two world wars. Available in four series.
Call Number: Swem Library Stacks DA566.7 .A18
Publication Date: 1946
Major Peace Treaties of Modern History, 1648-1967 by Fred L. Israel
Call Number: Swem Library Reference JX121 .I8
Publication Date: 1967-1980
Documents on German Foreign Policy, 1937-1945 v.1 From Neurath to Ribbentrop (Sept. 1937-Sept. 1938).--v.2 Germany and Czechoslovakia 1937-1938.--v.3 Germany and the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939.--v.4 The aftermath of Munich, Oct. 1938-March 1939.--v.5 Poland; The Balkans; Latin America; the smaller powers, June 1937-March 1939.--v.6 The last months of peace, March-Aug. 1939.--v.7 The last days of peace, Aug.9-Sept. 3, 1939.--v.8 The war years, Sept. 4, 1939-March 18, 1940.--v.9 The war years, March 18-June 22, 1940.--v.10 The war years, June 23-Aug. 31, 1940.--v.11 The war years, Sept. 1, 1940-Jan. 31, 1941.--v.12 The war years, Feb. 1-June 22, 1941.--v.13 The war years, June 23-Dec. 11, 1941.
Call Number: Swem Library Stacks JX691 .A45, SER.D
The Department of State Bulletin "The official monthly record of United States foreign policy." Available in print and online.
Call Number: Swem Library Stacks JX232 .A33
Publication Date: 1939-1989
Documents on Canadian External Relations by Canada Department of External Affairs
Call Number: Swem Library Stacks JX351 .A5314
Publication Date: Specific years vary: 1909-1945
Documents on German Foreign Policy, Series C & D (1933-1945)
Call Number: Swem Library Stacks JX691 .A45 Ser.C
Publication Date: 1933-195

Electronic Government Documents

Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States of America, 1776-1949 by Charles I. Bevans U.S. Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States of America, compiled by Charles Bevans, is a 13-volume set is considered to be the most complete collection of treaties and other agreements entered into by the United States from 1776 to 1950. Volumes 1-4 of this collection contain the text of multilateral treaties in chronological order and by date of signature. Volumes 5-12 contain the text of bilateral treaties in alphabetical order by country. Volume 13 contains indexes by country and subject.
Call Number: Also in print: Swem Library Reference JX236 1968.A5
Publication Date: 1968-1976
Foreign Relations of the United States Series: Franklin D. Roosevelt Administration (1933-1945) The Foreign Relations of the United States series presents the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity. The series, which is produced by the Department of State's Office of the Historian, began in 1861 and now comprises more than 450 individual volumes. The volumes published over the last two decades increasingly contain declassified records from all the foreign affairs agencies. Foreign Relations volumes contain documents from Presidential libraries, Departments of State and Defense, National Security Council, Central Intelligence Agency, Agency for International Development, and other foreign affairs agencies as well as the private papers of individuals involved in formulating U.S. foreign policy. In general, the editors choose documentation that illuminates policy formulation and major aspects and repercussions of its execution. Volumes published during the last three decades have expanded the scope of the series by including documents from a wider range of government agencies, particularly those involved with intelligence activity and covert actions.
Publication Date: 1930-1945
Foreign Relations of the United States Series: Harry S. Truman Administration (1945-1952) The Foreign Relations of the United States series presents the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity. The series, which is produced by the Department of State's Office of the Historian, began in 1861 and now comprises more than 450 individual volumes. The volumes published over the last two decades increasingly contain declassified records from all the foreign affairs agencies. Foreign Relations volumes contain documents from Presidential libraries, Departments of State and Defense, National Security Council, Central Intelligence Agency, Agency for International Development, and other foreign affairs agencies as well as the private papers of individuals involved in formulating U.S. foreign policy. In general, the editors choose documentation that illuminates policy formulation and major aspects and repercussions of its execution. Volumes published during the last three decades have expanded the scope of the series by including documents from a wider range of government agencies, particularly those involved with intelligence activity and covert actions.
Publication Date: 1945-1952
Foreign Relations of the United States by US Department of State Digital facsimile of the Foreign Relations of the United States provided by the University of Wisconsin.
Publication Date: 1861-1958/1960
The Cabinet Papers by British National Archives The British National Archives have made available digital copies of the Cabinet Papers. Organized into themes to help with searching topic coverage includes diplomacy and foreign affairs, economy and infrastructure, and society and welfare of the state. Second World War documents cover Britain, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and Far East.
Documents on Canadian External Relations, 1946-1963 by Government of Canada
Publication Date: 1946-1963
Nazi-Soviet Relations 1939-1941: Documents from the Archives of the German Foreign Office by Raymond James Sontag and James Stuart Beddie (editors)

Documents Diplomatiques Français
This is the official collection of French Diplomatic Documents 1914-1939. These material are also in Internet archive by searching Documents diplomatiques français
Documenti Diplomatici Italiani (1861-1952)
Collection of Italian Diplomatic Documents, 1861-1952

Government Document Databases

ProQuest Congressional This link opens in a new window
Historic and current congressional information. Includes Committee Prints, Congressional Record 1789-2009, CRS Reports, Hearings 1824-present, Unpublished Hearings 1973-1992, House & Senate Documents and Reports, Legislative Histories, Executive Branch Documents 1789-1948, and the Serial Set.
U.K. Parliamentary Papers (1715 to Present) This link opens in a new window
House of Commons Parliamentary Papers (HCPP) includes the complete file of House of Commons Parliamentary Papers, also known as Sessional Papers or Blue Books, dating from 1715 through to today.
Documents on British Policy Overseas This link opens in a new window
Provides users with access to a wide range of primary source documents from Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office, shedding light on throughout the twentieth century. Selected and edited by the official historians of the FCO, Documents on British Policy Overseas includes many documents specifically de-classified for inclusion in the series.
Includes: British Documents On The Origins Of The War 1898-1914 ; Collected Diplomatic Documents Relating To The Outbreak Of The European War (1915) ; Documents On British Foreign Policy 1919-1939 ; Documents On British Policy Overseas

American Presidency Project
The American Presidency Project is a collection of presidential documents including speeches, memoranda, written statements, letters, etc. Can search by president to locate only documents relating to that presidency.

Digital National Security Archive This link opens in a new window
From the award-winning, nongovernmental National Security Archive, this resource consists of expertly curated, and meticulously indexed, declassified government documents covering U.S. policy toward critical world events including their military, intelligence, diplomatic and human rights dimensions from 1945 to the present.
Contains United States intelligence, diplomatic, and presidential papers that deal with nearly all parts of the world.