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Archival description
Eastern Europe, Poland
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US OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICES OPERATIONS IN WESTERN EUROPE, 1942-1945

  • MF204-MF211
  • Collection
  • 1942-1945

OSS/London: Special Operations Branch and Secret Intelligence Branch War Diaries is a themed microfilm collection relating to US Office of Strategic Services (OSS)intelligence analyses and special operations in Western Europe, Jun 1942-Jun 1945. The collection includes Special Operations Branch organisation charts and directives, orders and summaries, Jun 1942-Jul 1944; Special Operations (SO) Branch and OSS training schedules; papers relating to Special Operations Branch liaison with Scandinavian Special Operations Executive (SOE) Section; reports on military and strategic objectives relating to Operation OVERLORD, the Allied invasion of France, Jan-Sep 1944; estimates of Special Operations personnel strength, Apr-Jun 1944; reports on resistance movements in Norway, Denmark, and Poland; summaries of Secret Intelligence Branch Operations, Apr-Sep 1944; list of decorations, commendations, and payments to families of the Special Operations and Secret Intelligence Branch casualties; biographies of Secret Intelligence personnel; reports from Secret Intelligence Branch operations in the Netherlands, France, Poland, Czechoslovakia; Germany; Secret Intelligence Branch liaison with the OSS; photographs of American and British Special Operations Branch officers; photographs of Maquis, French resistance, operatives; report from the Special Mission on German Methods of Demolition and Sabotage, Sep-Dec 1944; reports on Polish resistance fighters in France, 1944; lists of code names and code words used by the Special Operations Branch; reports from military, demolition, intelligence gathering, and espionage missions in Western Europe, 1944; after action summaries from the OSS Reports and Registry Division, London, and the OSS Reports Board, Paris, France, 1 Jan-15 Jun 1945.

US AND BRITISH COMBINED CHIEFS OF STAFF CONFERENCES, 1941-1945

  • MF460-MF462
  • Collection
  • 1941-1945

Microfilm collection containing copies of meeting minutes of the major conferences of the Combined Chiefs of Staff, 1941-1945. Meeting minutes include those for the conference held at Washington, DC, codenamed ARCADIA, at which Anglo-American planners first formed a combined strategy for the prosecution of the war, 22 Dec 1941-14 Jan 1942; the conference at Casablanca, Morocco, codenamed SYMBOL, during which the Anglo-American Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) first discussed the policies of German unconditional surrender, the Combined Bomber Offensive from Great Britain against Germany and the establishment of the French National Committee for Liberation, 14-24 Jan 1943; the Allied conference held at Washington, DC, codenamed TRIDENT, at which President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Prime Minister Rt Hon Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, and the Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS)discussed the decision to delay the invasion of France until May 1944, the Italian surrender, and the Battle of the Atlantic, 11-25 May 1943; the Allied conference at Quebec City, Canada, codenamed QUADRANT, at which the Allies endorsed a plan for the invasion of the Normandy coast in France, formed a new theatre of war, South-East Asia Command, with Acting Adm Lord Louis (Francis Albert Victor Nicholas) Mountbatten as Supreme Allied Commander, and regulated the procedures for co-operation between Great Britain and the US regarding the development and production of the atomic bomb, 12-24 Aug 1943; the Allied conferences at Cairo, Egypt, codenamed SEXTANT, at which the Allies discussed combined operations in South-East Asia with Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's Chinese forces, 22-26 Nov and 2-7 Dec 1943; the Allied conference at Teheran, Iran, codenamed EUREKA, during which the Allies first co-ordinated future strategy with Soviet Prime Minister Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, including plans to coincide military operations against Germany in France and the Soviet Union in May 1944, 28-30 Nov 1943; the conference at Quebec City, Canada, codenamed OCTAGON, at which the Allies discussed the post-war division of Germany and a plan for its de-industrialisation, 12-16 Sep 1944; the conferences at Malta and Yalta, Soviet Union, codenamed ARGONAUT, at which the Allies discussed the division of post-war Germany, the occupation of Germany and Austria, Soviet involvement in the war against Japan, and the future government and frontiers of Poland, 30 Jan-9 Feb 1945; the conference at Potsdam, Germany, codenamed TERMINAL, during which surrender terms for Japan were discussed, the boundaries and peace terms for Europe were determined and Poland's government and frontiers were debated, 16 Jul-2 Aug 1945. Conference minutes include references to Allied production and assignment of war materials; British and US merchant vessel losses; US policy concerning assignments of Lend-Lease military aircraft, naval vessels and munitions to Great Britain; Allied petroleum supplies; propaganda and unconventional warfare; war crimes and prisoners of war; operational reports concerning the planning and conduct of Allied offensive operations in Europe, including the invasion of North Africa, codenamed Operation TORCH, Nov 1942; the invasion of Sicily, Italy, codenamed Operation HUSKY, Jul 1943; the US preparation for the invasion of Europe, codenamed Operation BOLERO; and the Allied invasion of Europe, codenamed Operation OVERLORD, Jun 1944; operational reports concerning the Japanese war economy; Japanese Imperial Army logistical capabilities; locations and strengths of Japanese forces in the Pacific; British participation in long range bombing of Japan; Allied operational efforts in Burma, India, Malaya, and the Philippines; Soviet claims on the Sakhalin and Kuril islands; the co-ordination of Allied strategic plans for the defeat and occupation of Japan, 1943-1944; Soviet military action to facilitate Operation OVERLORD; liaison between Allied theatre commanders and the Soviet Army; Soviet capabilities with reference to the Far East; US Lend-Lease requirements for the Soviet Union; and estimates of Soviet post-war capabilities and intentions, 1943-1945.

TRUMAN, PRESIDENT HARRY S: DOCUMENTS RE THE POTSDAM CONFERENCE, 1945

  • MF338-MF339
  • Collection
  • 1945

Potsdam Conference Documents, 1945: The Presidential Documents Series is a themed microfilm collection including the personal and official documents and correspondence of President Harry S Truman during proceedings of the Potsdam Conference, 29 Mar-2 Aug 1945. Papers are drawn from a variety of originating bodies including US President Harry S Truman; US Gen of the Army George Catlett Marshall; US Gen of the Army Douglas MacArthur; Gen Dwight David Eisenhower, Supreme Commander Allied Forces Europe; George Frost Kennan, US Chargé d'affaires in Moscow; Rt Hon Winston (Leonard Spencer) Churchill, Prime Minister of Great Britain (until 26 Jul 1945); Rt Hon Clement Richard Attlee, Prime Minister of Great Britain (after 28 Jul 1945); Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek; Soviet Premier Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin; the US Joint Chiefs of Staff; and the Combined Chiefs of Staff. Papers relate to US foreign policy concerning the reconstruction of Western Europe; the partition, de-nazification, demilitarisation, and future reparations payments of Germany; the trial of major war criminals; the unconditional surrender of Japan; former Axis satellite states; Austria; Yugoslavia; the withdrawal of Allied forces from Iran; the retention of Allied forces in Italy; Lend-Lease liquidation; Bulgarian reparations payments to Greece; the reconstruction of Poland, Czechoslovakia; Yugoslavia and the Balkans; Anglo-Soviet rivalry in the Middle East; civil affairs in China.

JENKINS, Cdr Humphrey Leoline, RN (1903-1993)

  • JENKINS
  • Collection
  • 1914-1920

Papers relating to Jenkins' early RN service, 1932-1941, including four editions of HMS ENTERPRISE magazine The 'Prise wail, 1932-1934, including accounts of service in the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf; thirteen uncaptioned photographs of aircraft carrier operations, Mediterranean Fleet [1936]; two punishment registers in French, taken from the French battleship PARIS, atPlymouth, Devon, when the ship was commandeered by the Royal Navy to prevent its use by the Vichy French or German forces, Jul 1940; edition of printed booklet German law and German lawlessness. An address by General Sikorski before the University of St Andrews (St Andrews University Press, St Andrews, Fife, 1941), signed and dedicated to Jenkins by the Polish Prime Minister in exile, Gen Wladyslaw Sikorski, 1 Jun 1941. Papers relating to Jenkins' command of 5 Minesweeping Flotilla, Mediterranean, Adriatic and Aegean, 1944-1946, including printed chart of waters off the southern coast of France entitled 'Operation DRAGOON...Areas swept byFifth Minesweeping Flotilla and 2nd Div 31st ML (Motor Launch) Flotilla, 15th-21st Aug 1944'; typescript diary entitled '5th MSF (Minesweeping Flotilla) - Diary', 12 Jul-17 Sep 1944, containing account of the 5 Minesweeping Flotilla's role in Operation DRAGOON, the Allied invasion of southern France, Aug 1944; typescript copies of official reports by Jenkins on Operation MANNA,Minesweeping off the coast of Greece, 30 Oct 1944, and Operation SINUS, Minesweeping in the Gulf of Salonika, Nov 1945. Papers relating to a visit by Jenkins to the Royal Naval Armament Depot, Kauri Point, New Zealand, 1954, including album containing 41 photographs and two manuscript maps of the Depot, 1954; sixteen captioned photographs of the destruction of cordite on the beach atKauri Point, and HMNZS ENDEAVOUR and HMNZS STAWELL at anchor at Kauri Point, New Zealand, 1954. Manuscript copy of letter from Capt Richard Fortescue Phillimore, RN (an uncle of Jenkins, and later Adm Sir Richard Fortescue Phillimore), commander of HMS INFLEXIBLE, 2 Battlecruiser Sqn, Grand Fleet, to his wife, 9 Dec 1914, containing a detailed account of the Battle of the Falkland Islands, 8 Dec 1914; six postcards relating to the scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet, interned at Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, 21 Jun 1919, including German battleship BAYERN, battlecruiser DERFFLINGER, and cruiser NUREMBURG, Jun-Jul 1919; edition of The GrandFleet: a wartime sketch book by John Coleridge (Medici Society, London, 1920).

Jenkins, Humphrey Leoline, 1903-1993, Commander RN

FALL OF THE WALL: television documentary archive on the end of Communist rule in East Germany

  • FALL OF THE WALL
  • Collection
  • 1994

Complete transcripts of 38 filmed interviews concerning events leading up to the 9 Nov 1989 when the border between the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) was opened, and the demolition of the Berlin Wall began. The interviews were recorded for the production of the television documentary _Fall of the Wall, _which was broadcast in 1994. The collection also includes programme scripts and press releases for each of the hour long documentary episodes titled 'A Hole in the Wall' and 'The Fatal Error'. Interviewees were either present or involved in the decisions and events which led up to the final destruction of the wall and include government leaders in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, German Democratic Republic (GDR), Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), and the Soviet Union, government officials and Politburo members, organisers of the Pan European Picnic, 19 Aug 1989, East German and Czechoslovakian civilians, border guards and security forces, a Foreign Ambassador, and an East German dissident. Most notable are Mikhail Gorbachev, Soviet leader 1985 - 1991, Hans Dietrich Genscher, West German Foreign Minister during 1989, Miklós Németh, Hungarian Prime Minister 1988 - 1990, Milos Jakes (First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia 1987 - 1989, and Egon Krenz, East German General Secretary of the Socialist Unity (Communist) Party and Chairman of Council of State Oct - Dec 1989. Subjects discussed include the significance of Soviet policies under Mikhail Gorbachev and Eduard Scheverdnadze such as perestroika and glasnost, the demise of the Breshnev doctrine on Soviet intervention and the Warsaw Pact; reforming influences in government in Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia; tacit support of West Germany and the USA for soviet reformers and later agreements for provision of economic aid; Hungary's signing of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 28 July 1951 , Mar 1989; Hungary's announcement that is will cease to maintain its electronic border fence, 2 May 1989; the visit of Gyula Horn, Hungarian Foreign Minister, and Alois Mock, Austrian Foreign Minister, to Sopron, Hungary to view the dismantling of the fence, 28 Jun 1989; visit of George Bush, US President, to Budapest, 11-13 Jul 1989; origin and development of plan to hold a Pan European Picnic at Sopron on 19 Aug 1989, an event promoted by the Democratic Forum under the patronage of Otto Von Habsburg and Imre Poszgay, to mark the dismantling of the fence; meetings between Hungarian and West German leaders concerning the Hungarian border opening; West Germany's principle of accepting all East Germans refugees; arrangements for a ceremonial crossing of the border by an official party during the Pan European Picnic which were upstaged by a group of East German refugees forcing the gates to cross into Austria; peaceful response of the Hungarian border guards; East German 'tourists' in Czechoslovakia seeking refuge in the West German Embassy in Prague, Czechoslovakia; the Fortieth anniversary celebrations of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) on 7 Oct 1989 and visit of Mikhail Gorbachev and other soviet state leaders; the East German government agreement to issue allow these refugees to legally cross to West Germany; special transport trains were passing through East Germany to the west; rioting occurring in Dresden as trains passed through; popular demonstrations in Leipzig during Sep and Oct 1989; influx of troops and police brought in to quell the demonstration in Leipzig planned for 9 Oct 1989 and diffusion of this situation; the resignation of Erich Honecker as East German head of state and party leader, 19 Oct 1989; succession of Egon Krenz as East German leader; East German television announcement of general issue of exit visas for East Germans citizens; and the forcing of the border between East and West Berlin on the evening of 9 Nov 1989.

Brian Lapping Associates

COLD WAR, THE: television documentary archive

  • COLD WAR
  • Collection
  • 1995-1998

The Cold War television documentary archive consists of transcripts of 531 interviews concerning events of the Cold War - the political, ideological tension between the United States and the United Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR), 1946-1989, following the end of World War Two, which while falling short of actual war between these two nations, was evident in their foreign and defence policies, and those of their allies.

Interviews were conducted with eyewitnesses from the US, USSR, Germany, Poland, Britain, Czechoslovakia, Italy, France, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Spain, Vietnam, Korea, China, Israel Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Cuba, Chile, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and including politicians, policy makers and advisors, diplomats, journalists, academics, members of armed forces, dissidents, peasants, factory workers and civilians.

Events described include the Berlin blockade, 1948-1949, the Berlin Crisis, 1961, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Oct 1962, the Vietnam War, 1965-1975, the Korean War, 1950-1953, the Hungarian uprising, 1956, the Prague Spring, 1968, the nuclear arms race, 1945-1991, and Chinese communism, 1949-1972.

The collections also contains transcripts of a series of seminars on the Cold War, Oct 1995, as well as an incomplete series of files relating to individual episodes of the documentary series including annotated extracts of interview transcripts and other production information. (Transcripts in this section of the collection are mainly duplicates, however there are a small number which are not found in the main transcript series).

Jeremy Isaacs Productions

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY'S DECLARATION OF WAR ON RUSSIA, 1914: printed leaflet

  • MISC39
  • Collection
  • 1914

Announcement, in Russian, by Nicholas II, Tsar of Russia and Poland, Great Prince of Finland (1894-1917), of Austria-Hungary's declaration of war upon Russia, as reported by the St Petersburg Telegraph Agency in the 'Astrakhan Leaflet', 21 Jul 1914 (3 Aug 1914). Translation into English included.

ALEXANDER, Maj Gen Henry Templer (1911-1977)

  • ALEXANDER
  • Collection
  • 1960-1970

Papers relating to Alexander's service as Chief of Defence Staff, Ghana, 1960-1961, including correspondence from AVM Henry Algernon Vickers Hogan, Headquarters Flying Training Command, RAF, on the training of Ghanaian pilots, Aug 1960; correspondence, reports and notes on the creation of an African High Command, following a decision taken in Casablanca, Morocco to form a Charter of African States, signed by Algeria, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Morocco, Tunisia and the United Arab Republic, 1960, including typescript 'Brief for President on situation in the Congo and the role of an African High Command'. Dec 1960; correspondence with Air Cdre John Nicholas Haworth Whitworth, Air Chief of Staff, Ghana Air Force, Jan-Aug 1961; typescript 'Russian report on Ghana armed services', 1961; typescript memoranda by Alexander and by Air Cdre Whitworth, on the Soviet report on the Ghana armed forces, May-Jun 1961; typescript memorandum by Alexander to Dr Kwame Nkrumah, President of the Republic of Ghana, expressing concern on the plan to send Ghanaian cadets to the USSR for military training, Sep 1961. Papers relating to the Ghanaian Army's involvement in UN peacekeeping duties in the Congo, 1960-1961, including typescript 'Notes on non-military briefing for senior officers of the UN force in the Congo' by Ralph Johnson Bunche, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the UN, Jul 1960; typescript press releases on the crisis in the Congo, Jul 1960, typescript correspondence with Brig Joseph E Michel, commanding UN Ghanaian Bde, Congo, Aug 1960-Feb 1961; typescript 'Report on disturbances at Tshikapa on 18/19 Jan 1961' by Brig Joseph E Michel, commanding Ghana Bde, Congo, relating to the mutiny of troops of 3 Bn, The Ghana Regt; typescript 'Report of the evacuation of the Hon Mr Welbeck from the Congo' (Hon Nathanial Welbeck, Ghanaian diplomat), Nov 1960; typescript 'Report on visit to the Congo', by Alexander, Feb 1961. Papers relating to Alexander's dismissal as Chief of Defence Staff, Ghana, and to the removal of British personnel from the Ghana armed forces, 1961, including typescript memorandum by Alexander 'Withdrawal of British officers and other ranks from active units of the Ghana Army', Sep 1961; typescript report by Alexander to the Ministry of Defence 'Background to the sudden dismissal of British officers from the Ghana armed forces' [1961]. Papers relating to Alexander's role as a British Observer, International Observer Team on Genocide, Nigeria, 1968-1970, including typescript report by Alexander 'The war in Nigeria', 1968; printed map of Nigeria, with annotations showing territories controlled by Federal and Biafran forces, 1968; typescript 'Report and findings of the representatives of Canada, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom for the period 1 October 1969 to 31 January 1970', Feb 1970. Edition of African tightrope. My two years as Nkrumah's Chief of Staff (Pall Mall Press, London, 1965).

Alexander, Henry Templer, 1911-1977, Major General