US Department of State, 1945-59

The US Department of State is the lead US foreign affairs agency. It advances US objectives and interests through formulating, representing, and implementing the foreign policy of the President of the United States. The US Secretary of State, the ranking member of the Cabinet and fourth in line of presidential succession, is the President's principal adviser on foreign policy and the person chiefly responsible for US representation abroad. The 1947 National Security Act created the National Security Council, which assisted the President on foreign policy and co-ordinated the work of the many agencies involved in foreign relations. During the Cold War, new foreign affairs agencies were placed under the general policy direction of the Secretary of State: the US Information Agency, the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and the US Agency for International Development. US Department of State country missions assist in implementing the President's constitutional responsibilities for the conduct of US foreign relations. The Chief of Mission, with the title Ambassador, Minister, or Charge d'Affaires, and, the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) are responsible for and head the mission's "country team" of US Government personnel. The Country Team includes diplomatic officers representing consular, administrative, political, economic, cultural, and legal affairs, as well as all the representatives from agencies other than the Department of State. These are the people responsible for the day to day work of the mission. Department of State employees at missions comprise US-based political appointees, career diplomats, and Foreign Service nationals. The last are local residents, who provide continuity for the transient American staff and have language and cultural expertise. The Confidential US State Department Central Files, Soviet Union, Foreign Affairs, 1945-59 microfilm collection includes files relating to Soviet foreign affairs prepared for the President of the United States by this field of State Department regional experts.