United States Commission on Military History records

Identity elements

Reference code

US US kmk P2004.09

Level of description

Collection

Title

United States Commission on Military History records

Date(s)

  • 1973-2002 (Creation)

Extent

15.50 Linear Feet, 10.00 Boxes

Name of creator

(1973-)

Administrative history

The United States Commission on Military History (USMCH) was established in 1973 after nine United States scholars traveled to the International Commission on Military History (ICMH) Colloquium in Stockholm, Sweden. ICMH was established in Zurich in 1938. In 1974 USCMH was incorporated by John Jessup, Reamer Argo, Forrest Pogue, and Philip Lundberg.

The USCMH hosted three ICMH Colloquiums. Two were held at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. in 1975 and 1982 respectively. The third was held in 2002 in Norfolk, Virginia.

In 1990, the first United States issue of Revue International d’Historie Militaire was published.

Presidents of the Commission were John Jessup (1974-1979 and 1988-1991), Philip Lundberg (1980-1983), James Collins (1984-1987), Kenneth Hagan (1991-1995), Dean Allard (1996-1999), and Allan Millett (2000-2004).

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

The United States Commission on Military History records (1973-2002) contain materials pertinent to the operation of the USCMH and the International Commission on Military History. The ICMH is an organization of national organizations that comprises the USCMH and the national commissions of thirty or more countries at any given time. The ICMH convenes annually at a colloquium hosted by a different foreign commission. The bulk of material centers on the annual USCMH meetings and ICMH colloquiums. Reports, agendas, and minutes of USCMH meetings document the operation of the commission. Extensive correspondence and various files associated with the three ICMH colloquiums hosted by the USCMH in 1975, 1982 and 2002 contain detailed information about the accommodations, registration, itineraries, papers and publications necessary for each conference. The papers are divided into ten series: 1) By-Laws, 1974-1997; 2) Membership, 1973-1999; 3) Elections, 1973-1999; 4) Correspondence, 1973-2000; 5) United States Commission on Military History Meetings, 1973-2000; 6) International Commission on Military History Meetings, 1965-2002; 7) Financial, 1973-2000; 8) Printed Material, 1974-1999; 9) Other Historical Associations, 1974-2001; and 10) Audiovisual, 1972 and 1992. The By-Laws series contains the original articles of incorporation of USCMH in 1974 and consequent revisions of the organization's by-laws from 1975-1997. Also included are the by-laws and statutes of the International Commission on Military History. Membership information and data is assembled in the second series. Annual dues payments and registration data for USCHM is included as well as membership lists from both the USCMH and ICMH. All membership information is arranged chronologically from 1973-1999. The election series encompasses all aspects of USCMH elections. Every two years USCMH holds elections for president, vice-president, trustees and members of various committees. Materials within the third series include correspondence relevant to the nomination of officers, biographies of nominated persons, official ballots, and results of the elections. The fourth series contains general correspondence. The material is arranged chronologically and is separated between the USCMH and the ICMH. The material was left together as it was previously arranged and was not divided into categorical sub-series, except when already sorted by the donor organization. The majority of the contents are correspondence written to or by commission officers. Each year the USCMH holds a general membership meeting and a board of trustees meeting. Agendas and minutes of annual USCMH meetings as well as correspondence relevant to the planning and execution of meetings are included in the fifth series. Most notable among these records is the 1998 Report of the Long Range Planning Committee. The ICMH Meetings series contains information on the annual ICMH colloquiums. The colloquiums hosted by the USCMH and held in the United States in 1975, 1982 and 2002 make up the majority of the substance of the sixth series. Financial materials make up the seventh series. The USCMH functions as a not-for-profit organization and operated out of several different accounts. Annual financial reports and bills and receipts are filed chronologically from 1976-1999. Printed materials in the eighth series include USCMH bulletins and newspapers. Circulated to members monthly, the newsletters contain announcements, reports, and remarks from the current president and served as a means of communication to the general membership. Certain published material was removed from the collection and was catalogued for the main library. This included International Review of Military History, 1975-1992; International Bibliography of Military History, 1978-1999; and Proceedings from the ICMH Colloquiums, 1975-2002. The USCMH is affiliated with the American Historical Society and is listed in the AHA Directory of Affiliated Societies. The ninth series also includes information about a variety of other historical associations including newsletters, meetings, and conferences. The audiovisual materials make up the tenth series which contains audio recordings of the 1972 USCMH meeting and the April 15 and November 21, 1992 USCMH Board of Trustees meetings. Written records of the 1992 meetings are located in the USCMH Meetings series, however, no other record of the 1972 meeting exists in this collection.

System of arrangement

The collection is housed in 10 boxes (15 linear feet) and divided into ten series: 1) By-Laws, 1974-1997; 2) Membership, 1973-1999; 3) Elections, 1973-1999; 4) Correspondence, 1973-2000; 5) United States Commission on Military History Meetings, 1973-2000; 6) International Commission on Military History Meetings, 1965-2002; 7) Financial, 1973-2000; 8) Printed Material, 1974-1999; 9) Other Historical Associations, 1974-2001; and 10) Audiovisual, 1972 and 1992. Photographs have been transferred to the photograph collection of the University Archives. Published materials were also separated from the collection and cataloged for use in the main library.

Conditions of access and use elements

Conditions governing access

No access restriction: All materials are open for research.

Physical access

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Languages of the material

  • English

Scripts of the material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

Acquisition and appraisal elements

Custodial history

The USCMH collection is identified by accession number P2004.09.

Immediate source of acquisition

Acqusition Source: United States Commission on Military History
Acqusition Method: Donation
Acqusition Date: 20040101

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

Accruals

Related materials elements

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

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Specialized notes

  • Citation: Preferred Citation: [Item title], [item date], United States Commission on Military History records, Box [number], Folder [number or title], Morse Department of Special Collections, Kansas State University Libraries.

Alternative identifier(s)

Archon Collection ID

223

Description control element

Rules or conventions

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Sources used

Archivist's note

Finding Aid Author: Diane Soldan
Processing Info: Processing was completed by Diane Soldan, student employee, in June 2004.  Archon migration by Edward Nagurny, graduate research assistant, September 2015.
Publication Date: 2015-09-01

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Physical storage

  • Box: Box 1, A83412015570
  • Box: Box 2, A83412011097
  • Box: Box 3, A83412010978
  • Cubic Foot Box: Box 4, A83412010986
  • Box: Box 5, A83412015546
  • Box: Box 6, A83412015588
  • Box: Box 7, A83412011217
  • Box: Box 8, A83412015554
  • Box: Box 9, A83412015562
  • Box: Box 10, A83412010863
  • 2.5" Flip Top, Legal : Box 1A, A83412057734
  • 5" Flip Top, Legal: Box 2A, A83412057695