Harry S Truman Presidential Oral History Files is a themed microfiche collection composed of transcribed interviews relating to the professional career of Harry S Truman. From 1961 to 1989, the Harry S Truman Library conducted over 400 interviews for the oral history project, each relating to aspects of Truman's professional life, including his career as an artillery officer during World War One; district judge, 1922-1934; US Senator, 1934-1944; and President of the United States, 1945-1953. Included among the interviewees are Dean Acheson, US Secretary of State, 1949-1953; Konrad Adenauer, Chancellor, Federal Republic of Germany, 1949-1963; Richard Bolling, First Secretary, Office of US Political Adviser to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, Tokyo, Japan, 1950; John H Chiles, Secretary, General Staff of the Far East Command, and Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, 1948-1950; Clark McAdams Clifford, Special Counsel to the President, 1946-1950; 1st Lt Lorain H Cunningham, 129 Field Artillery, US Army, 1917-1918; Edgar C Faris, Jr, Secretary to Truman as Senator of Missouri, 1935-1938; Abraham Feinberg, friend of Truman, active in the creation of the State of Israel, 1945-1948; Raymond W Goldsmith, economist, US Department of State, 1947-1949; Gordon Gray, Secretary of the Army, 1949-1950 and Special Assistant to the President, 1950; (William) Averell Harriman, US Ambassador to the Soviet Union, 1943-1946 and to Great Britain, 1946, Special Assistant to the President, 1950- 1951, and Chairman, NATO Commission on Defence Plans, 1951; Edwin A Locke, Jr, Personal Representative of the President to China, 1945, Special Assistant to the President, 1946-1947, and Ambassador in Charge of US Mission to the Near East, 1951-1952; Robert Abercrombie Lovett, US Secretary of Defense, 1951-1953; Sir Roger Mellor Makins, British Deputy Under Secretary of State, 1948-1952, and British Ambassador to the United States, 1953-1956; and Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the United States, 1953-1969

Papers relating to his service as Third Sea Lord 1915-1916, principally comprising 'History of armoured cars, juggernauts, land battleships, tanks', a memorandum on the development of an armoured car force, 1914-1916, written [for Tudor and other Sea Lords] by Murray F Sueter, Sep 1916; 'Report on the design and construction of first land ship (tank)', written for Tudor by E H Tennyson D'Eyncourt, Director of Naval Construction, Sep 1916. Biographical notes on Tudor, compiled for members of the family by his great nephew, A B T Davey, with covering letter, 1976.

Records of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, part 1: 1942-1945 is a themed microfilm collection containing copies of official documents of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1942-1945. Documents include meeting minutes and memoranda and reports relating to grand strategic issues, the Pacific theatre, the European theatre, and the Soviet Union. Meeting minutes include those for the conference held at Casablanca, Morocco, codenamed ANFA, in 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, in 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, in 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, in 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, in 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, in 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, in 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, in which the 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. Papers relating to grand strategic issues include US Joint Chiefs of Staff documents on 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; and the summit conferences held between the Allied powers of the US, Great Britain and the Soviet Union, 1942-1945. Papers relating to the European theatre include US Joint Chiefs of Staff memoranda and 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. Papers relating to the Pacific theatre include US Joint Chiefs of Staff memoranda and 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; and the co-ordination of Allied strategic plans for the defeat and occupation of Japan, 1943-1944. US Joint Chiefs of Staff papers relating to the Soviet Union include estimates, memoranda, conference minutes and reports concerning the disclosure of Allied technical information to the Soviet Union; 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.

Copies of papers relating to Col Sir (Charles) Geoffrey Vickers and of his brother 2nd Lt William Burnell Vickers, 184 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, killed in action, Western Front, 21 Jun 1917, including seven manuscript letters and four typescript copies of letters from William Burnell Vickers to his parents and to his brother, Jan 1916-Jun 1917, with two typescript copies of letters of sympathy from Regimental officers, Jun 1917; typescript extracts from William Burnell Vickers' diary relating to service on the Western Front, Nov 1915-Feb 1916 and Jul 1916. Three copies of photograph of (Charles) Geoffrey Vickers [1915]; sixty letters by Lt (Charles) Geoffrey Vickers, to his mother, father and brother, Western Front, Feb 1915-Feb 1917, including letters from hospital after being wounded in action, Battle of Loos, Oct 1915, and typescript copy of letter from Lt Col Arthur William Brewill, Commanding Officer, 1/7 (Robin Hood) Bn, The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt), Territorial Force, informing Vickers' father that Vickers had been recommended for the VC, 24 Oct 1915; nine letters by Vickers to his parents, France, Apr 1918-Jan 1919. Typescript copy of narrative diary detailing Geoffrey Charles Vickers' service on the Western Front, Feb-Oct 1915. Copy of printed report entitled 'Report by Colonel C G Vickers, VC, on his Mission to the British communities in certain American countries and in Portugal', including information relating to Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Cuba and Portugal, 16 Dec 1940.

Copy of typescript memoir covering the period 1914-1918, including his service with 3 Bn, London Regt in Sudan, 1915, Gallipoli, 1915, and France and Belgium, 1916-1918, notably the Battle of the Somme, 1916, dated 1935. Includes transcript of an extract from the diary of Private W Law covering his service with 3 Bn, London Regt in Gallipoli, Nov-Dec 1915.

Copy of memoir covering the period 1914-1921, including his service in World War One in the Mediterranean, 1914-1915 and 1917-1918, and the North Sea, 1916-1917, notably the Battle of Jutland, 1916, in the Baltic during the Russian Civil War, 1918, and on fishery duties in the English Channel, 1920, written in [1920-1921].

One hundred and three photographs relating to Wardman's RAF service, [1932-1944], including eighty three, mostly captioned, aerial photographs of North West Frontier Province, India [1932]-1934; photographs of RAF aircraft including Westland Wapiti Mk IIA, Avro Tutor, Hawker Hector [1932-1939]; three photographs of Wardman in No 3 (Indian) Wing RAF sports teams, Quetta, India, 1934; group photograph with Wardman and RAF pilots '46th Flying Instructors Course, Central Flying School, September-December 1935'; group photograph captioned 'No 612 (County of Aberdeen) (AC) (Army Co-operation) Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force, July 1938'; group photograph captioned '1935 600 City of London Fighter Squadron', group photograph captioned 'Brough [Yorkshire], January 1939', group photograph in front of Bristol Blenheim bomber [1940], Airspeed Horsa upon Salisbury plain [1944], group photograph captioned '296 Sqn Airborne Forces Headquarters', photograph of 296 Sqn badge, group photograph of RAF officers 1944, group photo of RAF Officers with Italian badge captioned 'East Colne 1945', two photographs of Handley Page Halifax bombers from towing gliders on crossing of Rhine March 24 1945, group photo of Norway visit, photo of Halifax taking off captioned ''R' for Mo, Joe' [1945], group photo captioned 'Celebration! promotion to Wg Cdr'. Also small Union flag displayed on the first British truck taken to France, and later used by the French Army, Aug 1914, (the flag originally belonged to a relative of Wardman who worked for Vulcan Motor and Engineering Company, Crossens, Southport, Lancashire).

Papers relating to Weston's career, 1916- 1945, including manuscript notes by Weston entitled 'Some notes on the discipline of Imperial troops in convoy on HM Transport LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE from Durban to Suez', 1941; notebook containing manuscript 'Standing orders for POWs', 1943; typescript report on the sinking of the EMPRESS OF CANADA, 1943; typescript instructions and duties of Draft Conducting Officers on board troopships [1943]; typescript memorandum by Weston on the co-ordination of Movement Control in South Africa, 1944, with typescript reports on officers attached to Imperial Movement Control, South Africa (IMPCON), 1944; printed material including memorandum on the German attack near Givenchy, Western Front, 1918, with printed map annotated with dispositions of German 4 Ersatz Div during attack north of Cuinchy, France, 9 Apr 1918, scale 1: 10, 000; trench map entitled France. Sheet 57D SE. Edition 3A, scale 1:20,000 (GSGS 2742, 1916), annotated with features near La Boisselle, Pozieres and Courcelette, Battle of the Somme, 1916, Field Service Pocket Book, Orders and intercommunication (HMSO, London, 1939), Rifle Drill illustrated (Gale and Polden, Aldershot, 1940), Restricted War Office booklet 'Standing instructions for Officers Commanding units and drafts ordered overseas', 1943.

Account of his service with Middlesex Regt during the Battle of the Somme, 1916.

Copy of unpublished memoir, 'The Life of Engineer Rear Admiral Sir Henry Wildish aka The Rogue Elephant, 1884-1973', by his son, V Adm Sir Denis Bryan Harvey Wildish, covering his Naval career, 1901-1945, including chapters on his early life and training; sea service aboard HMSs NILE, HERMES, DUNCAN, 1905-1914; service in World War One as Senior Engineer of the heavy cruiser, HMS SUTLEJ, attached to 11th Cruiser Squadron based at Queenstown 1914-1915, as Senior Engineer of the heavy cruiser HMS KING ALFRED, Flagship of the 6th Cruiser Squadron, mainly engaged in patrol duties off the African coast, and as Chief Engineer of the destroyer HMS SPRINGBOK, attached to the Harwich Light Forces, 1916-1919; inter-war sea service as Engineer Officer of HMSs DILIGENCE, 1925, WEYMOUTH, 1925-1926, and FURIOUS, 1928-1931, and shore appointments particularly as Engineer Officer in Charge. Admiralty Fuel Experimental Station. Haslar, 1926-1928; service in World War Two as Engineer Admiral on the Staff of Staff of Commander-in-Chief, Nore Command, 1937-1941and as Command Engineer Officer on the Staff of Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches, Adm Sir Max Kennedy Horton, 1941-1945; Appendices include copies of his Confidential Reports (flimsies), 1904-1945; correspondence on Wildish's concept of a petrol fuelled internal combustion engine for torpedoes and submarines when submerged; details of the Stefco-Wildish Patent Two Stage Steam Dryer and the Wildish firebrick and bolt.

Papers of Col Alexander Camac Wilkinson, 1906-1983, including appointment diary, 1931; typescript memoir, 'Fun and games and narrow squeaks' relating to Wilkinson's early cricketing and military career; account of service with 1 Company, 2 Bn, Coldstream Guards, 1917, with trench map, Bourlon; an account by Wilkinson as regimental Cdr of 99 Light Anti-Aircraft Regt's role in Operation HONKER, before the capture of Rome, providing smoke screens across all river crossings to protect Royal Engineers who were constructing bridges; letter on Wilkinson's thoughts on post-war Imperial development and reconstruction, 1943; letters from Wilkinson to his aunt, written from Eton, 1906-1907; social and personal correspondence, 1945-1983; correspondence relating to business and charity; correspondence and press cuttings relating to reunions, notably a visit to Graz, 1970, capital of Austrian province of Steiermark, where Wilkinson was Head of British Military Government, 1945; citation (with translation) and press cuttings relating to the presentation of an Austrian decoration to Wilkinson, 1977; photocopy of citations for Wilkinson's military decorations, with covering letter from the Ministry of Defence, 1982; maps of North West Europe, Texas and London; notes on an old cricketing friend in Australia, Jack Massie; note of thanks from Peter Thwaites, Imperial War Museum, 1980, relating to the loan for copying of an account dealing with incendiary bombs, World War Two; artefacts including an empty presentation box, with inscription to Wilkinson from 99 LAA Regt on his marriage, 1947; empty DSO medal case and Austrian medal, in original case.

Papers, 1881-1926; notably war diaries of the 3 Hussars during World War One, 1914-1919; private diary of Willcox, 1914; intelligence summaries with translated extracts from German documents, 1917-1918; typescript account of the 3 Hussars at Warneton, Belgium, Oct 1914; typescript account of the action of the 3 Hussars at Liez, France, March 1918 and near Hourges, France, Apr 1918; aerial photographs showing trench network, Beaucamp, France, 1916; copy of a diary by Willcox compiled during the siege of Ladysmith, South Africa, with two popular printed commemorative volumes describing the siege, 1899-1900; diary by Willcox of a visit by him as an observer of German army manoeuvres, Berlin area, with photographs, 1909; letters sent by Willcox to his parents and other relatives, 1881-1900; photographs of India, South Africa during the Boer War, in 1910 and the Western Front during World War One, showing groups of soldiers, equipment, the interiors and exteriors of buildings, including in Pretoria, of military exercises, parades, preparation for possible gas attack and of French chateaux, [1889-1919]; various papers compiled by Willcox during the compilation of his history of the 3 Hussars including operational summaries, biographical information and drawings and photographs, with reviews of Willcox's publications, 1908-1926; watercolours of the French landscape during World War One; manuscript hunting journal including detailed diaries and records of pig-sticking, tiger shooting and other hunts in Africa, Scotland and India, 1894-1932; colour illustrations of soldiers in various antique constumes.

Copies of pages from Sir Albert Stern's Tanks, 1914-1918: the log book of a pioneer (1919), with annotations by Wilson, 1920.

Photocopies of memoir covering military service, 1860-1918; published account of Tochi Valley expedition, Afghanistan, 1897-1898; complaint relating to conditions in trenches, Western Front, World War One, 1915.

Four ordnance survey maps, two 1:20,000, one 1:40,000, and one 1:100,000, produced by the Geographical Section, General Staff, War Office, of area south and south-west of Arras, France, including the locations of British trenches, 1918

Facsimiles of four editions of World War One Western Front trench newspapers, The New Church Times and The Kemmel Times, each of which was incorporated within The Wipers Times, 8 May-3 Jul 1916. While the names of many of the contributors have not survived, the chronicles they presented in the newspaper detail vividly the war conditions on the Western Front. Articles were often spontaneous, preserving the jargon, slang, character, and conversation of the soldiers' surroundings. Although the reader is confronted with all the stark images of the Western Front, these are masked with a humourous irony which demonstrated the spirit of comradeship that prevailed in the British Army

The collection is 26 copies of the Daily Mirror newspaper, 29 Jul-11 Jun 1916. Included in the newspapers are photographs and articles concerning World War One, most notably the Austro-Hungarian declaration of war on Serbia, 28 Jul 1914; the mobilisation of Russian troops, 1 Aug 1914; Britain's declaration of war on Germany, 4 Aug 1914; the Battle of Liege, Aug 1914; the French seizure of Alsace, Aug 1914; the French invasion of Lorraine, Aug 1914; the landing of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France, Aug, 1914; the German capture of Louvain, Aug 1914; the drowning of FM Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Viscount Kitchener of Khartoum and Broome, Jun 1916; and the defeat of Austrian Slav troops in Romania by Russian troops, Jun 1916

Papers relating to the defence of Calais, May 1940, dated 1940-1971, notably including copy letter from Wright to Kathleen Howard (later Mrs L W Wright), 28 May 1940, detailing the events of his escape from Calais; typescript extracts of messages from the log kept by Control Wireless Station of No 12 Wireless Section at Vice Admiralty, Dover, 1940, copied in [1960-1970]; 'Personal experience in the defence of Calais', manuscript text compiled by Wright in 1946 from a report written for the War Office in 1940; press cuttings and copies of press cuttings, 1940-1962; correspondence relating to the rescue of a group of soldiers (including Wright) from Calais harbour by HMS GULZAR, May 1940, dated 1940 and 1968; 'Calais 1940 remembered', article by Lt J A Evitts reprinted from the Journal of the Royal Signals Institution vol 10 no 3, 1971. Other papers relating to Wright and his family, 1916, [1975], 1986, notably including newspaper cutting concerning the rescue from under enemy fire of Wright's father, 2nd Lt Leonard Wright, by Pte William Hall, 1916.