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International & Transnational Relations

Includes primary sources.

Catalog Tips-Primary Sources

    * Add subject keyword "sources" to your search terms
    * Search subject keyword "united states foreign relations sources" AND [keyword for your country or topic]
    * Search title "confidential us state department central files" for microform sets
    * Search "documentary history of the [ name ] presidency"
    * Search for newspaper titles and check the years covered (see News section of this guide)

Microforms

Dig deeper: Many primary sources have been preserved on microforms, and are not available online. See the tips for searching the catalog, and the database Primary Sources in US History  to identify microform sets. You can limit an advanced search in the catalog to format: microforms.

One example to note: Papers of the Nixon White House.

For uncataloged collections in the Microforms Department: see the Checklist of Microform Collections...in the Reference Desk collection, LD1732.D8k C543 1986; browse under "US Dept. of State" or name of President.

More Primary Sources

Don't miss the sub-pages (click on the down arrow next to Primary Sources): Databases, News, Web Sites

Selected print sources

Calls to Arms:  Presidential Speeches, Messages, and Declarations of War, edited by Russell D. Buhite
Perkins Ref. J81.4 C35 2003
Department of State Bulletin (1939-1989) and Dispatch (1990-1999)
See catalog for print and electronic options.
Foreign Relations of the United States 
Perkins Ref. US   S1.1: [year]   Partially online at http://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments
Also available in the HeinOnline database
Declassified US State Dept. documents covering 1861 to thirty years ago. Wonderful source for diplomatic exchanges, statements, speeches, etc.
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States
Online through GPOAccess from 1991; Perkins Ref US AE 2.114: (1984--present) and GS 4.113: (1929-1983); in HeinOnline--either click on US Presidential Library under "Subscribed Libraries" or search for "Messages and papers of the Presidents" (covers George Washingtong--Hoover) or "Public Papers of the Presidents" (Hoover to present).
Presidential addresses, communications, interviews, proclamations and nominations, and meetings wtih foreign dignitaries.
For British documents: Documents on British Policy Overseas database
see also these titles in the catalog :
British Documents on Foreign Affairs--Multiple volumes covering the years 1845-1950.
British and Foreign State Papers--Includes the text of treaties, diplomatic correspondence, foreign policy speeches given by the King, and relevant acts of Parliament.
Documents on British Foreign and Security Policy
Records of the Foreign Office
Command Papers of British Parliament--see guide
For documents of other countries, translated into English, search by subject keywords "[country] foreign relations sources" and limit the language to English. Here are some examples of titles you might find:
Cold War: Primary Sources--in Perkins Reference
Documents of German History--annotated excerpts from official and autobiographical documents
Documents of Soviet-American Relations--4 volumes covering 1917-1945
Soviet Foreign Relations: documents and readings--includes propaganda
Debating the Origins of the Cold War: American and Russian perspectives
Comrade Kryuchkov's Instructions: top secret files on KGB foreign operations, 1975-1985
War and Diplomacy: the making of the Grand Alliance; documents from Stalin's archives--includes telegrams and drafts of treaties
US Federal Government Publications
Guide to US documents in the Perkins collection and online.