Sources

Sources for Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, Volume XV

The files at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, in Atlanta, Georgia, are the single most important source of documentation for those interested in U.S.-Central American relations during the Carter administration. Foreign policy research in the Carter Presidential Library centers around two collections: National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, and National Security Affairs, Staff Material. Within the Staff Material the North/South, Pastor Files are particularly helpful.

The editor also had access to the Carter Intelligence Files at the National Security Council, the files of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Department of Defense records. The files of the Central Intelligence Agency, were essential for intelligence reports and assessments on which the Carter administration based its policy decisions. The Department of State’s Central Foreign Policy File, consisting of D, P, and N reels, replaced the pre-1973 paper subject-numeric file. The P (Paper) reels consist of microfilmed versions of memoranda of conversation, letters, briefing papers, airgrams, and memoranda to principals.

Speeches and policy statements were garnered from a number of published sources, the most important of which were the Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States and the Department of State Bulletin.

In addition to the paper files cited below, a growing number of documents are available on the Internet. The Office of the Historian maintains a list of these Internet resources on its website and encourages readers to consult that site on a regular basis.

Unpublished Sources

• Department of State, Washington, D.C.
  • Central Foreign Policy File. These files have been transferred or will be transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration in College Park, Maryland.
    • P Reels
    • D Reels
    • N Reels
  • INR/IL Historical Files
    • Files of the Office of Intelligence Coordination, containing records from the 1940s through the 1980s, maintained by the Office of Intelligence Liaison, Bureau of Intelligence and Research.
  • Lot Files. These files have been transferred or will be transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration in College Park, Maryland.
    • Lot 6D379, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Intelligence Research Reports
    • Lot 81D64, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Nicaragua/El Salvador Working Files
    • Lot 84D241, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Cyrus R. Vance, Secretary of State, 1977–1980
    • Lot 88D100, Office of the Secretariat Staff, 1977–1981 Cuban Files (Peter Tarnoff S/S)
    • Lot 90D413, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, U.S. Permanent Mission to the OAS, Luigi Einaudi Files
    • Lot 92D630, Executive Secretariat’s Special Caption Documents, 1979–1989
• National Archives and Record Administration, College Park, Maryland
  • RG 59, General Records of the Department of State
    • Lot 81D113 (Entry P–14), Office of the Secretariat Staff, Records of the Office of the Deputy Secretary of State, Warren Christopher
    • Lot 82D298 (Entry P–9), Records of the Director of the Policy Planning Staff Anthony Lake, 1977–1981
    • Lot 83D66, Subject Files of Edward S. Muskie, 1963–1981
• Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Donated Material
    • Zbigniew Brzezinski File
    • Papers of Walter F. Mondale
  • National Security Affairs
    • Brzezinski Material
      • Agency File
      • Brzezinski Office File
        • Subject Chron File
      • Cables File
      • Country File
      • General Odom File
      • President’s Correspondence with Foreign Leaders File
      • Subject File
      • Trip File
    • Staff Material
      • Freedom of Information/Legal
      • North South, Pastor Files
      • Office
      • Special Projects File
  • National Security Council
    • Institutional Files
  • Office of the Staff Secretary
    • Handwriting File
      • Presidential File
  • Plains File
    • President’s Personal Foreign Affairs File
  • Presidential Materials
    • President’s Daily Diary
  • Vertical File
  • White House Central File
• Central Intelligence Agency
  • Office of Congressional Affairs
    • Job 81M01032R, Subject Committee Files (1943–1980)
    • Job 82B00035R, Committee Files
    • Job 97M00733R, Policy Files
  • Office of the Director of Central Intelligence
    • Job 81B00112R, Subject Files
    • Job 81M00919R, Executive Registry Subject Files (1977–1979)
    • Job 82M00501R, 1980 Subject Files
  • Office of Support Services, Directorate of Intelligence
    • Job 80T00634A, Production Case Files (1978)
• National Security Council
  • Carter Administration Intelligence Files
• Washington National Records Center, Suitland Maryland
  • RG 330, Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense
  • • FRC 330–82–0205–26, 1979 Official Records of the Secretary of Defense
    • FRC 330–82–0263–1, ASD/ISA Policy Files 1980

Published Sources

• Congress and the Nation, 1977–1980, Volume V. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly, Inc., 1981.
• Keesing’s Contemporary Archives, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981. London: Longman, 1977–1981.
• New York Times.
• U.S. Department of State. Bulletin, 1977–1980. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
• U.S. Department of State, Human Rights Practices in Countries Receiving U.S. Security Assistance. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1977.
• U.S. Department of State. The United States and the Security of Central America and the Caribbean: U.S. Public Statements and Related Documents, 1959–1984.
• U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Jimmy Carter, 1977–1980. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981.
• Washington Post.
• Yearbook of the United Nations, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980. New York: United Nations Office of Public Information, 1981.