Yale University Library Research Guides: Manuscripts and Archives (Repository) Guide to Collections on Law: U.S. Foreign Relations and International Law

Partial Collections List: International Law and U.S. Foreign Relations

The Manuscripts and Archives collection includes many interesting materials about the cases, events, and people that have shaped U.S. foreign policy as well as some materials concerning international law. Most of this material documents 20th century developments in the U.S. foreign relations area as seen through the eyes of government officials and diplomats, some of whom were prominent lawyers.
Holdings in this area include documentation about major events and developments that shaped the law, including the Iran-Contra affair and the peace negotiations following World War I.

If the material that you are interested in does not appear on the partial collections list below, try:

In addition to the Manuscripts and Archives staff, the Lillian Goldman Law Library's Foreign and International Law Department is available to assist researchers with locating primary sources in this area.

Acheson, Dean Gooderham (Dean Gooderham Acheson papers)
These papers include correspondence, writings, speeches, memoranda, and photographs, documenting Dean Acheson's life after leaving the U.S. State Department in 1953. he correspondence and memoranda contain Acheson's views on many contemporary issues in American foreign policy such as Korea, the Middle East, NATO, Germany, the war in Vietnam, and Rhodesia and South Africa.
Alsop family (Alsop family papers)
The papers consist of correspondence, legal papers, diaries, estate records, account books, notebooks, deeds, and miscellanea of the Alsop family of Middletown, Connecticut. Of particular interest are the extensive papers on the Alsop Claim Case (1865-1914), a complicated international law case involving the Alsops' claim against the Bolivian government for monies owed.
Auchincloss, Gordon (Gordon Auchincloss papers)
These papers consist of correspondence, a diary, memoranda, and printed material largely relating to Gordon Auchincloss's position as assistant counselor in the State Department (1917) and to his position as secretary to Colonel E. M. House at the armistice negotiations and the Paris Peace Conference. Some material on personal affairs is also included.
Bayne, Hugh Aiken (Hugh Aiken Bayne papers)
The papers are primarily printed and typescript documents relating to Hugh Bayne's service on international arbitration commissions. His decisions as arbiter include his interpretations of disarmament clauses of the Versailles Treaty (1923), his opinion on the claims of the Standard Oil Company (1926), and his opinion on the claim of Belgium to the treasure of the Order of the Golden Fleece.
Bickel, Alexander M. (Alexander Mordecai Bickel papers)
Alexander M. Bickel was a professor at the Yale Law School from 1956 until his death in 1974. He published nine books and more than one hundred articles on law, government, political reform, the Supreme Court, and legal history. His papers include drafts, memoranda, and miscellaneous papers related mainly to Bickel's service with the U.S. Observer Delegation to the European Defense Community Conference and the Policy Planning Staff of the Department of State.
Borchard, Edwin M. (Edwin Montefiore Borchard papers)
The papers consist of correspondence, research notes, memoranda, writings, speeches, newspaper clippings, and memorabilia of Edwin Borchard, Professor of Law at Yale University from 1917 to 1950, specialist in international law, adviser to government and business, and controversial advocate of American neutrality in both world wars. The correspondence reflects both his political and legal interests.
Bowles, Chester (Chester Bowles papers)
Chester Bowles graduated from Yale College in 1924. He was named a Special Assistant to the Secretary General of the United Nations and was elected governor of Connecticut (1948-1950). Bowles served as ambassador to India (1951-1953, 1963-1969) and was elected to the U.S. Congress (1959-1960). These papers consist of correspondence, speeches, writings, photographs, clippings, oral history interviews, and other material documenting his personal life and professional career.
Bullitt, William C. (William C. Bullitt papers)
William C. Bullitt began his career as a diplomat in December 1917 when he joined the State Department as a special assistant to the Secretary. From 1919 to 1933, he withdrew from government service. After the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Bullitt returned to the State Department in 1933 and served in various capacities, including the first ambassador to the Soviet Union. These papers document his personal and professional life.
Evarts family (Evarts family papers)
The papers consist of correspondence, writings, legal and financial material, congressional papers, family memorabilia, and other papers of various members of the Evarts family of Vermont, Boston, and New York. They include the papers of William Maxwell Evarts, United States Secretary of State (1877-1881).
House, Edward Mandell (Edward Mandell House papers)
House functioned as President Wilson's chief negotiator in Europe during the negotiations for peace (1917-1919), and as chief deputy for Wilson at the Paris Peace Conference. This collection includes material relating to the Paris Peace Conference such as minutes of meetings of the Supreme Council and memoranda from various countries presenting claims. Writings include essays, reviews, novels, and other works.
Howland, Charles Prentice (Charles Prentice Howland family papers)
Charles Prentice Howland (1869-1932) practiced law in New York City until 1925. He served as chairman of the Greek Refugees Settlement Commission of the League of Nations from 1925 to 1926 and, from 1927 until his death, studied and wrote on foreign relations as a research associate in government at Yale University and as director of research of the Council on Foreign Relations. These papers relate primarily to his work as chairman of the Commission and to his research.
Humphreys, David (Humphreys-Marvin-Olmstead collection)
This collection includes papers of the diplomat David Humphreys (1752-1818). The bulk of the papers (1789-1808) deals with Humphreys's labors in Europe as an agent of the United States government, both as commissioner for Algerian affairs empowered to negotiate peace with Algiers and arrange ransom for American prisoners, and as minister plenipotentiary to Spain charged with maintaining peaceful relations with Spain and her American colonies.
Inquiry Papers (The Inquiry Papers)
Correspondence, organizational records, reports containing historical and statistical material, maps, and other papers of The Inquiry, a group of experts assembled at the request of President Wilson to collect and collate data in preparation for a peace conference following World War I. Members of The Inquiry included Edward House, Sidney Mezes, Isaiah Bowman, Charles Seymour, David H. Miller, Walter Lippmann, James T. Shotwell, and Clive Day.
Iran-Contra Affair (Arthur L. Liman papers)
These papers consist of correspondence, diaries, legal documents, speeches, writings, printed material, photographs, and audiovisual materials that document the career of Arthur Liman, a prominent lawyer of his time. The papers emphasize the 1987 Iran-Contra hearings.
Kimball, Chase (Chase Kimball papers)
These papers document Chase Kimball's participation in some twenty-five national and local, social, political, and religious organizations, and are an especially valuable source of information on the peace movement in America in the 1930s and on civic improvement in Waterbury, Connecticut. Because Kimball was personally involved in or collected literature from all peace organizations between 1930 and 1939, the Kimball Papers comprise an illuminating record of tensions in the peace movement.
Kissinger, Henry (Henry Kissinger papers, part II and part III)
The papers consist of correspondence, memoranda, writings, speeches, photographs and other material that document the career of the diplomat, author, and foreign policy scholar Henry A. Kissinger, who served as United States secretary of state from 1973 to 1977 and as assistant to the president for national security affairs (national security advisor) from 1969 to 1975.
Kitchelt, Florence Ledyard Cross (Florence Ledyard Cross Kitchelt papers)
Florence Ledyard Cross Kitchelt's activities included work as a social worker, settlement house worker, reform volunteer, and suffragette organizer in New York, and as a peace activist in Connecticut. The papers consist of correspondence, memoranda, printed material, and miscellanea relating to Florence Kitchelt's work on behalf of international peace during the early and mid-20th century.
Kwangju Incident (Kwangju Incident records)
These records are comprised of photocopies of telegrams between the United States Embassy in Seoul and the U.S. State Department before, during, and after the 1980 Kwangju Uprising. The telegrams primarily discuss the stability of Seoul's government and human rights. Particular topics include the use of martial law, the restructuring of the government, the formation of a constitution, the arrests of dissidents, the trials of political prisoners, student protests, and labor issues.
McCormick, Vance Criswell (Vance Criswell McCormick papers)
This collection consists of correspondence and papers relating to World War I and the Paris Peace Conference, and personal memorabilia of Vance C. McCormick, statesman and politician. These papers relate largely to McCormick's participation in the London Inter-Allied Conference (the "House Mission") and the American Commission to Negotiate Peace in Paris.
Miller, David Hunter (Miller-Auchincloss papers)
The Miller and Auchincloss Papers consist of two linear feet of correspondence and memoranda related to the work of law partners David Hunter Miller (1875-1954) and Gordon Auchincloss (1886-1943) as special representatives of the State Department in New York City between March 1917 and August 1918. Their task was to gather information about commercial and financial activities based in the United States that might benefit Germany and her allies.
Paul, Roland A. (Roland Arthur Paul Papers)
The papers consist of two, unpublished manuscripts by Roland Paul. Both manuscripts are based on Paul's diaries and notes of his experiences with the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on U.S. Security Agreements. The first was completed in 1982 and offers a Washington insider's perspective on the attitudes, circumstances, and institutional structures that would later cause U.S. foreign policy and actions in Vietnam to fail. The second, completed in 1983, is a screenplay version of the first.
Paxton, John Hall (John Hall Paxton papers)
This collection consists of correspondence, writings, photographs and printed materials of John Hall Paxton, American foreign service officer. The papers reflect primarily Paxton's service in China from 1925 to 1949.
Polk, Frank Lyon (Frank Lyon Polk papers)
These papers consist of correspondence, letterbooks, documents, diaries, subject files and other materials documenting the personal life and professional career of Frank Lyon Polk, State Department Counselor (1915-1919), Acting Secretary of State (1918-1919), and Under Secretary of State (1919-1920). Polk headed the American Mission to Negotiate Peace (1919) and managed the 1924 Democratic presidential convention campaign of John W. Davis.
Pérez de Cuéllar, Javier (Javier Pérez de Cuéllar papers)
These papers consist of photocopies of United Nations documents used in the writing of Pérez de Cuéllar's memoirs, Pilgrimage for Peace: A Secretary-General's Memoir. His biography recounts his two terms as United Nations Secretary-General, focusing on those issues and countries with which he had the largest personal involvement.
Rostow, Eugene (Eugene V. Rostow papers)
Eugene V. Rostow was a professor, author, and public official who was a faculty member at Yale Law School for many decades, including as dean from 1955 to 1965. In government, he served in various roles in the Lend-Lease Administration and the U.S. State Department, including as Under Secretary for Political Affairs in the Lyndon Johnson administration. The papers consist of correspondence, subject files, writings, printed material, newspaper clippings, photographs, and memorabilia documenting Rostow’s professional and personal life.
Smith, Walter Bedell (Walter Bedell Smith papers)
Walter Bedell Smith served as U.S. ambassador to the U.S.S.R. between 1946 and 1949. He was then director of the Central Intelligence Agency between 1950 and 1953, then becoming Undersecretary of State until 1954. These papers consist of his correspondence and writings relating to My Three Years in Moscow, a book published in 1950.
Stimson, Henry Lewis (Henry Lewis Stimson Papers)
This large collection consists of the papers of Henry Lewis Stimson, former U.S. Secretary of State (1929-1933) and Secretary of War (1911-1913, 1940-1945).
United Nations History (United Nations Oral History Project interview transcripts and tapes)
These interview tapes and transcripts were produced as part of the United Nations Oral History Project, sponsored by the Institution for Social and Policy Studies of Yale University, to document significant events in the history of the United Nations and its operations. Interviewees include U.N. officials, ambassadors from various countries, and other participants in the events documented.
Vance, Cyrus R. (Cyrus R. and Grace Sloane Vance papers)
This collection includes the personal and professional papers of Secretary of State Cyrus Vance (1977-1980). They primarily document Cyrus R. Vance's professional and personal activities. Of particular significance are background materials, correspondence, position papers, and handwritten meeting notes relating to SALT II negotiation, the Camp David Summit and the signing of the Middle East Peace Treaty, diplomatic relations with China, and negotiations during the Iran hostage crisis.
Wiseman, William George Eden (Sir William Wiseman papers)
These papers pertain to the period 1917-1919 and specifically to diplomatic relations between Britain and the U.S. during that period. Includes correspondence between Wiseman and Edward M. House; official telegrams of the British Foreign Office and of U.S. officials; British and American official and private memoranda on war matters and on problems of the Peace Conference; and reports and correspondence on Russia and on the Zionist movement.

Manuscripts and Archives (Repository) Guide to Collections on Law: U.S. Foreign Relations and International Law

Partial Collections List: International Law and U.S. Foreign Relations

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