Conducting Post-World War II National Security Research in Executive Branch Records: A Comprehensive Guide

Provides considerable information on the location, nature, and public accessibility of White House and agency national security-related records. A staggering number of post-World War II White House and agency records pertaining to national security are stored in repositories nationwide, but researchers often find it impossible to locate and access these records. With few exceptions, there has been very little basic information available to the public regarding national security records. This book provides considerable detail on the quantity, nature, and public accessibility of the records at the National Archives, Federal records centers, the agencies themselves, presidential libraries, and smaller repositories. The work also discusses the critical importance of federal records management and classification and declassification policies and the need for improved compliance with these policies. The public has never had a comprehensive guide to assist in identifying, locating, and gaining access to agency and White House national security records. This book tells the reader where national security-related records are located, which ones are accessible to the public, and which ones are not. The book also discusses the vital role of federal records management policies in determining the ultimate disposition of records and where the records are stored. In addition, the work describes the policies governing the classification and declassification of records and the reasons the vast majority of records are still inaccessible to the public. Both beginning and experienced researchers will find this work to be of great assistance.