The collection includes uncut audio cassettes, video cassettes and transcripts of interviews, concerning events leading up to the Gulf War (1990-1991) such as the role of the United States in the liberation of Kuwait following its invasion by Iraq, 2 Aug 1990; US relations with the international community coalition which included Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Soviet Union; the role of the United Nations; and the background to decisions taken by the US government in response to the invasion and up until the ceasefire of 28 Feb 1991. It also contains related transcripts of US Congress proceedings, research files, news cuttings, video cassettes of the three episodes of the television documentary The Washington Version as broadcast in the UK, scripts for each episode, draft version of scripts and documentary, as well as uncut video cassette footage of television news reports, press conferences and addresses, contemporary to the conflict. The documentary was advertised as 'a personal history of the Gulf Crisis told by US Cabinet members, their deputies and key allies'. Those interviewed include James Addison Baker III, US Secretary of State, 1989-1992; Richard B (Dick) Cheney, US Secretary of Defense, 1989-1993; Robert Gates, Assistant to the US President and Deputy National Security Advisor, 1989-1991; Gen Brent Scowcroft, National Security Advisor, 1989-1993; James Danforth Quayle, US Vice President, 1989-1993; Stephen Joshua Solarz, Democrat member of US Congress, 1975-1993; Gen Colin Powell, Chairman, US Joint Chiefs of Staff; Gen Norman Schwarzkopf, Commander in Chief; Thomas Stephen Foley, Democrat member of US Congress, 1965-1995, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, 1989-1995; Ambassador Thomas Reeve Pickering, US Permanent Representative to the United Nations, 1989-1992; Lawrence S Eagleburger, Deputy Secretary of State, 1989-1992; Richard N Haass, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director, Near East & South Asian Affairs, National Security Council, 1989-1993; John Kelly, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, 1989-1991; Robert M Kimmitt, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, 1989-1991; Charles Powell, Baron Powell of Bayswater, Private Secretary to the British Prime Minister, 1984-1991; Dennis B Ross, Director, Policy Planning Staff, US Department of State, 1989-1992; H E Sheikh Saud Nasir Al-Sabah, Kuwait Ambassador to the US, 1981-present; Joseph Charles Wilson IV, Charge d'Affairs, US Embassy, Baghdad 1988-1991; Paul Dundes Wolfowitz, Under Secretary for Policy, US Department of Defense 1899-1993; Sergei Tarasenko, Policy Advisor to Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze 1985-1991; and Martin Indyk, Washington Institute for Near Eastern Policy, 1984-1993.

The collection includes transcripts of interviews recorded with 62 individuals in the making of Iran and the West from the USA, Iran, the UK, France, Germany and other countries. The interviews examine relations between Iran and countries of the West, 1979-2009. The collection also contains footage on DVD of the recorded interviews, as well as documentaries, press cuttings, and published works gathered in the research and production of the documentary.Subjects covered by the interviews include: the Iranian Revolution, 1979; the fall of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, 1979; the holding of US Embassy staff as hostages, 1979-1981; the Iran-Iraq War, 1980-1988; the Lebanon hostage crisis, 1982-1992; the Gulf War, 1990-1991; the assassination of Afghan military leader Ahmad Shah Massoud, 9 Sep 2001; the terrorist attacks in the USA, 11 Sep 2001; Iranian involvement in Afghanistan; the labelling of Iran as part of an 'axis of evil', 29 Jan 2002 and the Iran nuclear programme.Individuals interviewed include Javier Perez de Cuellar, Secretary-General of the United Nations, 1982-1991; Roland Dumas, Minister of Foreign Affairs, France 1984-1986 and 1988-1993; Joseph Martin 'Joschka' Fischer, German Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister, 1998-2005; Ambassador Amir Aslan Afshar, Chief of Protocol at the Imperial Court of Iran, 1979; Ali Afshari, member of the Office to Foster Unity, National Islamic Student Association in Iran, 1999-2004 (coordinator of Khatami's student political campaign, 1996-97, student leader of demonstrations, Jul 1999); Abolhassan Bani-Sadr, President of Iran, 1980-81; Queen Farah Pahlavi, Queen of Iran, 1959-1979; Adm Kamal Habibollahi, Commander of the Imperial Iranian Navy, 1975-1979; Abbas Jadidi, Iranian wrestler; Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri, Iranian cleric and former adviser to Ayatollah Ruhollah Mousavi Khomeini, 1985-89; Gen Mohsen Rafiqdoust, Commander, Minister for Revolutionary Guard, 1982-89; Gen Mohsen Rezaee (also Mohsen Rezai), Commander in Chief of the Revolutionary Guard, 1981-1997; Mohsen Sazegara, Khomeini's press officer in Paris, October 1978-February 1979; Sadeq Tabatabai, negotiator with the USA for Khomeini 1978-1979, Government Spokesman 1979; Ebrahim Yazdi, Foreign Minister of Iran 1979; Ardeshir Zahedi, Iranian ambassador to the USA, 1959-1962 and 1973-1979, Iranian ambassador to Britain, 1962-1966, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, 1966-1973; Ambassador Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iranian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, 2003-2007; Sir Geoffrey Adams, British Ambassador to Iran, 2006-2009; Margaret Beckett, British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, 2006-2007; John Sawers, British Ambassador to Egypt, 2001-2003, Special Representative for Iraq, 2003; Political director of British Foreign and Commonwealth office, 2003-2007; British Ambassador to the United Nations 2007-2009; Jack Straw, British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, 2001-2006; Michael Williams, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Special Advisor on the Middle East, 2006-2007; Madeleine Albright, US Secretary of State 1997-2001; Ambassador John Bolton, US Under Secretary of State, Arms Control and International Security, 2001-2005, US Permanent Representative to UN, 2005-2006; Zbigniew (Kasimierz) Brzezinski, US National Security Advisor, 1977-1981; James Earl 'Jimmy' Carter, US President, 1977-1981; Warren Christopher, Deputy US Secretary of State 1977-81; US negotiator for the release of the US embassy hostages held in Iran, 1980-81; US Secretary of State, 1993-1997; Ambassador Richard Haass, Special Assistant to United States President and National Security Council Senior Director for Near East and South Asian Affairs, 1989-1993; Director of Policy Planning, US Department of State 2001-2003; Martin Indyk, US Ambassador to Israel 1995-1997 and 2000-2001; Assistant Secretary of State, Near East, State Department 1997-99; Walter Mondale, USA Vice-President, 1977-1981; Adm John Poindexter, US National Security Advisor 1983-1986; Brent Scowcroft, National Security Advisor to US Presidents 1974-1977 and 1989-1993; George Shultz, US Secretary of State 1982-1989; Commander Gary Sick, Principal Adviser on Middle East Affairs, US National Security Council, 1977-81; Yusuf Allawai Bin Abdullah, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Oman; Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of Russia, 2000-2008, Prime Minister of Russia 1999 and 2008- ; Javier Solana, European Union Secretary-General and High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, 1999-; Sheikh Subhi al-Tufayli, follower of Iranian Ruhollah Mousavi Khomeini, first Secretary-General of Hezbollah, 1989-1991.

Thirty seven typescript speeches and texts of lectures, given by Graham, 1972-1991, mostly relating to the Middle East, Anglo-American relations, Rhodesia, 1977, the Iranian revolution, 1979, the Iran-Iraq War, 1980-1988, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation), and the Gulf War, 1990-1991, notably 'The Middle East', 1972, with copy of UN Security Council Resolution 242 relating to the Arab-Israeli Six Day War, 1967, and copy of speech on the Middle East by Rt Hon Sir Alec (AlexanderFrederick) Douglas-Home, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, given to Harrogate Conservative Party, Oct 1970; address to NATO Defence College, 'Developments outside the NATO area in the next 15 years of concern to the Alliance', Feb 1985; article 'The Iran-Iraq war - eight years on', written for NATO's sixteen nations, Nov 1987; article, 'Reflections on the Gulf Crisis', Nov 1990, with briefing notes on the Gulf Crisis from Martin Fuller, Research Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and related press cuttings, 1990.

Papers and publications of Maj Gen Edward Fursdon, 1942-2000. Material relating to Fursdon's career in the Royal Engineers including: research on Army equipment inventions, 1942-1960; orders, instructions, reports, staff lists, duties, returns and aquisitions logs for Headquarters, 19 Infantry Brigade, Operation MUSKETEER, Port Said, Egypt, 1956; The Assault River Crossing in Nuclear War , a dramatic dialogue by Fursdon, 1959; research and reports produced for the War Office Working Party on Infantry Field Defences, 1958-1960; report by Fursdon on an Explosives Course arranged by the Swedish Army at Gyttorp, May-Jun 1960; papers and photographs relating to Operation VANTAGE, Kuwait, Jul-Oct 1961; report by Fursdon on reconnaissance for Exercise VIKING WAY: The Randsfjord Road Project, Norway, 1969; photographs of Royal Engineer activities including the 34 Independent Field Squadron, Kenya, 1961; training including demolitions course, Sweden, 1960; trials, equipment and experiments including trials of digging machines, Sept 1958; explosive and drill excavation; design and materials for battle shelters and mobile roadblocks.

Papers on academic topics including research and interviews for Fursdon's MLitt thesis The European Defence Community Experience: Relevance and Failure, 1950-1989 ; and report entitled MBFR (mutual and balanced force reductions) Talks: the Preliminaries and the First Half Year , 1974.

Papers relating to Fursdon's activities as a journalist including original drafts and cuttings of articles written for various publications including The Daily Telegraph , 1980-1986; Army Quarterly , 1948-1998; Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter , 1982-1995; Navy International , 1986-1994; Salut: Journal of the South African National Defence Force , 1995-2000.

Audio cassette tapes of radio interviews and programmes, 1980-1994, including interviews with Fursdon on the Falklands War for the British Forces Broadcasting Service and BBC World-at-One, 1982; interviews with Fursdon on the aftermath of the Falklands War for Radio Kent, Radio Devon and the British Forces Broadcasting Service, 1988; Fursdon speaking on National Service for the British Forces Broadcasting Service, nd, and on conscription for LBC, London, nd; interviews conducted by Fursdon including with a Swedish Defence Official, 1982 and with Captain Rod Bell on the Falklands War, 1982; a programme on Iraq for the BBC World Service, 1991.

Research files (including press cuttings, field notebooks, photographs, press releases, correspondence, publicity material and maps) relating to the Iran Iraq war, 1980-1985, including photographs taken during Fursdon's time as a reporter embedded with the Iraqi Army showing: British, American and Soviet tanks, armoured personnel carriers and self propelled guns captured from Iran on display in Baghdad; captured Iranian mine clearing tanks, small arms, mines and other weaponry; an Iranian POW camp, Ramadi; desert battlefields north-east of Basra; Iraqi artillery deployed near border east of Basra; Maj Gen Maher Abed Al-Rashid, Commander 3 Iraqi Corps; Qasr-e-Ahirin, Iran; the battle for Khorramshahr docks, Shatt-al-Arab, Iran; Khorramshahr City, Iran, after capture; oil fires at Abadan, Iran; the first battle of the Howzeh (Al-Hawzah) Marshes at Al-Baydha; troops of the Presidential Guard Special Forces; Iranian attack craft and rubber assault boats; wounded cattle; village women waiting to be evacuated; Carol Jerome, Canadian journalist; Iraqi war memorial and military museum, Baghdad; and the aftermath of the Battle of Al-Azair, Iraq.

Research files (including press cuttings, field notebooks, photographs, press releases, correspondence, publicity material and maps) relating to topics including: the Falklands War and aftermath, 1982-1997; the first Gulf War, 1990; the Bosnian and Kosovan Wars and their aftermath, 1992-2000; post-war Europe, including the fall of the Iron Curtain, peacekeeping and arms control, 1979-1998; the 15th and 20th National Day of Oman, 1985 and 1990; the 50th anniversary of NATO, 1999; Northern Ireland, 1981; the Far East Pilgrimage Remembrance Trip to Burma, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, 1985; the European Defence Community, 1990; British Military Advisory and Training Team, Namibia, 1991; Swedish Naval Forces, 1992, Army Cadet Force Association, 1992; Royal Air Force Red Arrows, 1995; Reserve Forces Act and the Territorial Army, 1996; Royal Air Force Innsworth, 1996; Royal Navy and Marine Reserves, 1996; University Air Squadrons, 1997; University Royal Navy Units (URNUS), 1997; Royal Air Force Cadets (ATC), 1997; University Officer Training Corps, 1997; Army Cadet Force, 1997; Royal Navy Sea Cadets, 1997; Royal Navy and Royal Marines Combined Cadet Force, 1997; Boer War Centenary, 1997; Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, 1998; Royal Marines, 1998; Women in the Armed Forces, 1998; Joint Service Diving, 1998; Royal Air Force St Mawgan and Exercise BRILLIANT FOIL, 1998; simulation of battle including Direct Fire Weapons Effects Simulation (DFWES) and tactical engagement systems (TES) equipment, 1998; 21st Century Warfare, 1999; Joint Force 2000, 1999; Defence Systems and Equipment, 1999; Royal Air Force Kinloss, 1999; Royal Engineers Combat Engineer School, 1999; the efforts of HMS OCEAN and Commando Brigade to provide assistance following Hurricane Mitch, Honduras, 1999; The Regular Commissions Board, 1999; Army Air Corps, 1999; Army School of Logistics, Deepcut, and School of Army Catering, Aldershot, 2000; Defence Animal Centre, 2000; British Army Training Unit, Canada, 2000; Royal Military Police Training School, Chichester, 2000; 'Soaring and Sailing into the Next Millennium', Royal Navy and Royal Air Force potential future ships and aircraft, 2000.

The collection includes approximately 450 of Fursdon's collected books, journals, pamphlets and brochures on military topics.

Papers of Professor Lawrence Freedman, 1959-1992, including files of press cuttings, printed material and other papers relating to defence issues, 1959-1991, collected by Professor Lawrence Freedman, notably on the Gulf War, 1990-1991, the Falklands War, 1982, and Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), 1959-1987, START (Strategic Arms Reduction Talks), 'STAR WARS' (the US Strategic Defense Initiative), and defence issues in the Soviet Union, UK, Germany, France, Israel and China; Freedman's correspondence and research papers on topics including UK Nuclear History, START, 1990-1992, House of Commons Defence Committee, MOD Defence Estimates, SDI, Eastern Europe, Soviet arms control, strategy and foreign relations, 1990-1992; and USA Department of Defense Current News: special editions and selected statements, 1977-1988, topics of special editions are principally arms control, espionage and strategic defence initiative.

A small number of files were recalled from the 1st accession by Professor Freedman in 1998. These are indicated on the box list.

Publications, mostly official, relating to UK defence policy, notably, defence expenditure, and equipment procurement, 1960-1990, including ninety-seven editions of House of Commons Official Report. Parliamentary debates (Hansard) (HMSO, London, 1964-1990) and thirteen editions of House of Lords Official Report. Parliamentary debates (Hansard) (HMSO, London, 1975-1990); fifty, mainly UK and USA official printed reports, 1960-1989, including Navy estimates, 1960-1963, Statement on the Defence Estimates (HMSO, London, 1966-1973, 1975-1981, 1988-1989); reports from the House of Commons Defence Committee, 1981-1989; reports relating to specific issues, notably strategic nuclear deterrence, 1973-1982, and the Falklands conflict, 1982-1987. Newspaper cuttings, 1968-1992, mostly relating to Malta, 1968-1972; Soviet seapower in the Mediterranean, 1969-1972; International naval affairs, 1970-1971; South Africa, 1970-1971; the Iran-Iraq War, 1980-1988; the Falklands conflict, 1982; US intervention in Grenada, 1983; Soviet defence policy, 1984-1988; NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation), 1984-1990; UK, US and European defence policy, 1984-1992; the US bombing raid on Libya, 1986; the Gulf War, 1991.