Declassified Documents Reference System, Retrospective Collection

Location: McKeldin Library
Call Number: Microfiche J83.D41

Description

These are collections of post-World War II American governmental documents formerly classif ied Top Secret, Secret or Confidential, which were declassified after Executive Order 11,652 went into effect. This order included a provision for mandatory review of such documents. Since 1975, additional material has been declassified in accordance with the requirements of the Amendments to the Freedom of Information Act (PL 93-502). They include documents from the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Defense, the National Security Council, the Justice Department, the White House, the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and miscellaneous boards.

Both the retrospective and quarterly collections contain cumulative subject indexes, abstracts and microfiche which reproduce the full text of each document. The microfiche collections are arranged in the same sequence as are the entries in the catalog of abstracts. The indexes are arranged alphabetically by subject terms. Entries preceded by "R" refer to the Retrospective Collection. Entries prededed by "75" refer to the current series. Sample entry: R 384 A refers to series (Retrospective Collection), page number (384) and item letter (A).

Although documents published in 1975 are not included in the Retrospective Collection, all 1975 index entries have been merged into the Cumulative Subject Index in the Retrospective Set. Starting in 1976 the collections are cumulated annually.

The following material is excluded from the collections: (1) documents declassified in bulk following the expiration of the thirty-year rule, (2) documents already given wide public attention, e.g., parts of the Pentagon Papers, (3) documents of marginal interest and (4) reports previously published in abstract journals and cumulative indexes issued by the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Recently issued documents such as telegrams, correspondence, detailed minutes of cabinet-level meetings and complete "National Intelligence Estimates" are included. Some of the subjects covered in the collections are the Alger Hiss affair, the European Economic Community, the assassination of President Kennedy, drug traffic in the United States, and the Vietnam War.

Index/Guide

DOC J83.D4

Declassified Documents Reference System, Retrospective Collection .

MCK-PER M-FICHE J83.D411

Declassified Documents Reference System . 1975-

Doc J83.D42

Declassified Documents Quarterly Catalog . v.l- Jan/Mar 1975-