Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1971-1987, 1989 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
366 microfiche
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Senior officer oral histories were the central component of the ongoing oral history programme conducted by the US Army Military History Institute (USAMHI). Directed by the Chief, Oral History Branch, USAMHI, the objective of the programme was to interview senior US Army officers. Created in 1970 at the behest of Gen William Childs Westmoreland, then Chief of Staff, US Army, the programme was initiated to produce interviews that would serve the needs of historians as well as professional soldiers interested in leadership techniques. Interviewers were drawn from the US Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, and were selected for their interests, education, and career patterns and the interviews were recorded on audio tape and then transcribed. Transcripts were then edited for continuity, readability, and accuracy.
Archival history
GB 0099 KCLMA MFF 8 1971-1987, 1989 Collection (fonds) 366 microfiche US Army senior officers and the US Army Military History Institute (USAMHI)
Senior officer oral histories were the central component of the ongoing oral history programme conducted by the US Army Military History Institute (USAMHI). Directed by the Chief, Oral History Branch, USAMHI, the objective of the programme was to interview senior US Army officers. Created in 1970 at the behest of Gen William Childs Westmoreland, then Chief of Staff, US Army, the programme was initiated to produce interviews that would serve the needs of historians as well as professional soldiers interested in leadership techniques. Interviewers were drawn from the US Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, and were selected for their interests, education, and career patterns and the interviews were recorded on audio tape and then transcribed. Transcripts were then edited for continuity, readability, and accuracy.
University Publications of America, Bethesda, MD, USA
Armed Forces Oral Histories: US Army Senior Officer Oral Histories is a themed microfiche collection of 96 interviews of senior US Army personnel, 1971-1986. The interviews cover the entire career of the interviewee. As biographical interviews, they emphasise the significant events in which the subject took part and the personalities with whom the subject came into contact. Many of the interviewees had long careers that spanned World War Two, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. However, many of the interviews relate to non-combat roles, including the formulation of major doctrinal and policy programmes for the US Army. Included in the collection are interviews with Gen Mark Wayne Clark, relating to his service as Commander, US 2 Corps, and liaison duties with French forces in North Africa, 1942, his position as High Commissioner of Austria, 1945-1947, and his services as Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Command in Korea, 1952-1953; Gen Lucius DuBignon Clay, relating to his service as Deputy Military Governor of Germany, Commander-in-Chief, US Military Forces Europe, and Military Governor of US Zone in Germany, 1947-1949; Gen William E Dupuy, relating to the establishment of US Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) following the Vietnam War; Gen Andrew Jackson Goodpaster, relating to his staff positions with Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), his services with US Special Forces in Vietnam and Laos, and his role as Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR); Gen Lewis B Hershey, relating to the US selective service system operation during World War Two and the American debate over the draft; Gen Lyman L(ouis) Lemnitzer, relating to his position on the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1945-1947, his services as Commander-in-Chief, Far East, 1955-1957, and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1960-1962; Gen Matthew Bunker Ridgway, relating to his command of US 82 Airborne Div in Sicily, Italy, and Normandy, France, 1942-1944, his position as US Commander, Mediterranean Theater and Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean, 1945-1946, Commanding General US 8 Army, Korea, 1950-1951, and NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR), 1952-1953; Gen Maxwell Davenport Taylor, relating to his service as US Military Representative to the President, 1961-1962, his views on counterinsurgency activities during the Vietnam War, US bombing tactics in North Vietnam, his role as US Ambassador to South Vietnam, and his views on Gen William Childs Westmoreland, Commander, US Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, 1964-1965.
The collection is arranged alphabetically according to interview subject
Open, subject to signature of reader's undertaking form
Copies may be printed off the microfilm for research purposes and are charged at the cost to the Centre. Enquiries concerning the copyright of the original material should be addressed to University Publications of America Inc., 4520 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
English
Summary guide entry on-line at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/top.htm, and published detailed catalogue available in hard copy in the Centre's reading room, Margaret A Lynch (ed.), Armed Forces Oral Histories: US Army Senior Officer Oral Histories (University Publications of America, Bethesda, MD, 1989)
Date of compilation: Aug 1999 Alliances Armed forces China Clark , Mark Wayne , 1896-1984 , US General Clay , Lucius DuBignon , 1897-1978 , US General East Asia Eastern Europe Europe Field work Foreign relations Germany Goodpaster , Andrew Jackson , b 1915 , US General Higher science education Historical methods History International conflicts International relations Interviews Italy Korea Korean War (1950-1953) Lao PDR Laos Lemnitzer , Lyman Louis , 1899-1988 , US General Military doctrine Military education Military engineering Military history Military operations Military organizations NATO , North Atlantic Treaty Organization x North Atlantic Treaty Organization North Africa Officers Oral history Organizations Research work Ridgway , Matthew Bunker , 1895-1993 , General South East Asia State security US Army Viet Nam Vietnam War (1945-1975) War Warfare Western Europe Westmoreland , William Childs , b 1914 , US General World wars (events) World War Two (1939-1945) Wars (events)
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
University Publications of America, Bethesda, MD, USA
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Armed Forces Oral Histories: US Army Senior Officer Oral Histories is a themed microfiche collection of 96 interviews of senior US Army personnel, 1971-1986. The interviews cover the entire career of the interviewee. As biographical interviews, they emphasise the significant events in which the subject took part and the personalities with whom the subject came into contact. Many of the interviewees had long careers that spanned World War Two, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. However, many of the interviews relate to non-combat roles, including the formulation of major doctrinal and policy programmes for the US Army. Included in the collection are interviews with Gen Mark Wayne Clark, relating to his service as Commander, US 2 Corps, and liaison duties with French forces in North Africa, 1942, his position as High Commissioner of Austria, 1945-1947, and his services as Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Command in Korea, 1952-1953; Gen Lucius DuBignon Clay, relating to his service as Deputy Military Governor of Germany, Commander-in-Chief, US Military Forces Europe, and Military Governor of US Zone in Germany, 1947-1949; Gen William E Dupuy, relating to the establishment of US Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) following the Vietnam War; Gen Andrew Jackson Goodpaster, relating to his staff positions with Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), his services with US Special Forces in Vietnam and Laos, and his role as Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR); Gen Lewis B Hershey, relating to the US selective service system operation during World War Two and the American debate over the draft; Gen Lyman L(ouis) Lemnitzer, relating to his position on the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1945-1947, his services as Commander-in-Chief, Far East, 1955-1957, and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1960-1962; Gen Matthew Bunker Ridgway, relating to his command of US 82 Airborne Div in Sicily, Italy, and Normandy, France, 1942-1944, his position as US Commander, Mediterranean Theater and Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean, 1945-1946, Commanding General US 8 Army, Korea, 1950-1951, and NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR), 1952-1953; Gen Maxwell Davenport Taylor, relating to his service as US Military Representative to the President, 1961-1962, his views on counterinsurgency activities during the Vietnam War, US bombing tactics in North Vietnam, his role as US Ambassador to South Vietnam, and his views on Gen William Childs Westmoreland, Commander, US Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, 1964-1965.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The collection is arranged alphabetically according to interview subject
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open, subject to signature of reader's undertaking form
Conditions governing reproduction
Copies may be printed off the microfilm for research purposes and are charged at the cost to the Centre. Enquiries concerning the copyright of the original material should be addressed to University Publications of America Inc., 4520 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Summary guide entry on-line at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/top.htm, and published detailed catalogue available in hard copy in the Centre's reading room, Margaret A Lynch (ed.), Armed Forces Oral Histories: US Army Senior Officer Oral Histories (University Publications of America, Bethesda, MD, 1989)
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- International relations » Foreign relations » Alliances
- State security » Armed forces
- Research work » Field work
- International relations » Foreign relations
- Higher science education
- History » Historical methods
- History
- International conflicts
- International relations
- Research work » Field work » Interviews
- Higher science education » Military education
- Military engineering
- Military engineering » Military operations
- History » Historical methods » Oral history
- Organizations
- Research work
- State security
- International conflicts » War
- Military engineering » Warfare
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English