U.S. Diplomatic Records
The following lists US State Department records from the National Archives holdings in Washington, DC currently held in the Main and Bancroft Libraries on microfilm (and in a few rare cases, in print), available online, or available on loan from the Center for Research Libraries (CRL). Where available, the call number and location of guides have been listed together with the call number for the microfilm or a link to an online guide is available. This list is not comprehensive; if you do not see the item you need you should check OskiCat or the CRL catalog.
The State Department had different record-keeping systems between 1789-1906, 1906-1910, 1910-1963, 1963-1973, and 1973-1979. In its organization of the files it received, the National Archives mantained the original divisions of years: 1789-1906, 1906-10, 1910-29, 1930-39, 1940-44, 1945-49, 1950-54, 1955-59, 1960-63, 1963-73, 1973-79. The microfilm publications of the records reflect these periodic divisions and the original arrangement of the records. Some of the records from 1973-1979 are accessible online at the NARA site. Central file records dating 1980 and later remain in the custody of the Department of State.
See U.S. Foreign Relations and the Department of State for more information about the records.
Asia
Title | Reels | Call Number | Guide |
---|---|---|---|
Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Asia | MICROFILM 78664 | MICROFILM 78664 GUIDE |
Burma
Title | Reels | Call Number | Guide |
---|---|---|---|
Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of India and Burma, 1910-1929 | 227 | MICROFILM 19582 | CD3022 .A2x no.M329 Doe Reference |
Records of the Department of State Relating to Political Relations between India and Burma and Other States, 1910-29 (M344) | 1 | MICROFILM 4302 J | |
Records of the Department of State Relating to Political Relations between the U.S. and India and Burma, 1910-29 (M343) | 1 | MICROFILM 4309 J |
Cambodia
Title | Reels | Call Number | Guide |
---|---|---|---|
Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs, Cambodia | MICROFILM 79463 | MICROFILM 79463 GUIDE |
China
Title | Reels | Call Number | Guide |
---|---|---|---|
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Canton, China, 1790-1906 | 20 | MICROFILM 4092.J | MICROFILM 4092.J GUIDE |
Despatches from U.S. Ministers to China, 1843-1906 | 131 | Online and MICROFILM 4055.J | MICROFILM 4055.J GUIDE |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Amoy, China, 1844-1906 | 15 | MICROFILM 4094.J | MICROFILM 4094.J GUIDE |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Hong Kong, 1844-1906 | 21 | MICROFILM 4096.J | MICROFILM 4096.J GUIDE |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Shanghai, 1847-1906 | 53 | MICROFILM 4098.J | MICROFILM 4098.J GUIDE |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Foochow, China, 1849-1906 | 10 | MICROFILM 4095.J | MICROFILM 4095.J GUIDE |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Macao, China, 1849-1906 | 2 | MICROFILM 4097.J | MICROFILM 4097.J GUIDE |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Ningpo, China, 1853-1896 | 7 | MICROFILM 4166.J | MICROFILM 4166.J GUIDE |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Swatow, China, 1860-1881 | 4 | MICROFILM 4168.J | MICROFILM 4168.J GUIDE |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Hankow, China, 1861-1906 | 8 | MICROFILM 4163.J | MICROFILM 4163.J GUIDE |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Chefoo, China, 1863-1906 | 9 | MICROFILM 4158.J | MICROFILM 4158.J GUIDE |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Chinkiang, China, 1864-1906 | 7 | MICROFILM 4162.J | MICROFILM 4162.J GUIDE |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Newchwang, Manchuria, China, 1865-1906 | 7 | MICROFILM 4165.J | MICROFILM 4165.J GUIDE |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Tientsin, China, 1868-1906 | 8 | MICROFILM 4133.J | MICROFILM 4133.J GUIDE |
Despatches from US Consuls in Nanking, China, 1902-1906 | 1 | MICROFILM 4201.J | MICROFILM 4201.J GUIDE |
Despatches from US Consuls in Hangchow, China, 1904-1906 | 1 | MICROFILM 4200.J | MICROFILM 4200.J GUIDE |
Despatches from US Consuls in Mukden, Manchuria, China, 1904-1906 | 1 | MICROFILM 33214 | MICROFILM 33214 GUIDE |
Despatches from US Consuls in Antung, Manchuria, China, 1904-1906 | 1 | MICROFILM 33215 | MICROFILM 33215 GUIDE |
Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of China, 1910-1929 (M329) | 227 | MICROFILM 77719 | CD3022 .A2x no.M329 Doe Reference |
Records of the Department of State Relating to Political Relations between China and Other States, 1910-29 (M341) | 34 | MICROFILM 4251 J | MICROFILM 4251 J GUIDE |
Records of the Department of State Relating to Political Relations between the United States and China, 1910-1929 | 2 | MICROFILM 4207 J | MICROFILM 4207 J GUIDE |
India
Title | Reels | Call Number | Guide |
---|---|---|---|
Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of India and Burma, 1910-1929 | 227 | MICROFILM 19582 | CD3022 .A2x no.M329 Doe Reference |
Records of the Department of State Relating to Political Relations between India and Burma and Other States, 1910-29 (M344) | 1 | MICROFILM 4302 J | |
Records of the Department of State Relating to Political Relations between the U.S. and India and Burma, 1910-29 (M343) | 1 | MICROFILM 4309 J |
Indonesia
Title | Reels | Call Number | Guide |
---|---|---|---|
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Batavia, Java, Netherlands East Indies, 1818-1906 | MICROFILM 31805 | MICROFILM 31805 GUIDE |
Japan
Title | Reels | Call Number | Guide |
---|---|---|---|
Notes from the Japanese Legation in the United States to the Department of State, 1858-1906 (M163) | 9 | MICROFILM.4144.J | CD3022 .A2x no.M163 Doe Reference |
Despatches from U.S. Ministers to Japan, 1855-1906 | 82 | Online and MICROFILM.4057.J | MICROFILM.4057.J Guide |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Kanagawa, Japan, 1861-1897 | 22 | Online and MICROFILM.4160.J | MICROFILM 4160 J guide |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Nagasaki, Japan, 1860-1906 | 7 | Online and MICROFILM.4142.J | MICROFILM 4142 J guide |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Yokohama, Japan, 1897-1906 | 5 | Online and MICROFILM.4143.J | MICROFILM 4143 J guide |
Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Japan, 1910-1929 (M422) | CD3022 .A2x no.M422 Doe Reference | ||
Records of the Department of State relating to political relations between Japan and other states, 1910-29 (M424) | CD3022 .A2x no.M424 Doe Reference | ||
Records of the Department of State Relating to Political Relations between the U.S. and Japan, 1910-29 (M423) | 9 | MICROFILM 4237 J | MICROFILM 4237 J Guide |
Korea
Title | Reels | Call Number | Guide |
---|---|---|---|
Despatches from U.S. Ministers to Korea, 1883-1905 | 22 | Online and MICROFILM 4058.J | MICROFILM 4058.J Guide |
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Seoul, Korea, 1886-1906 | 2 | Online and MICROFILM 4099.J | MICROFILM 4099.J Guide |
Notes from the Korean Legation in the United States to the Department of State, 1883-1906 | 1 | Online and MICROFILM 4117.J | |
Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Korea (Chosen), 1910-1929 | CD3022 .A2x no.M426 Doe Reference |
Pakistan
Title | Reels | Call Number | Guide |
---|---|---|---|
Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Pakistan, 1945-1949 | 6 | MICROFILM 79041 |
Philippines
Title | Reels | Call Number | Guide |
---|---|---|---|
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Manila, Philippine Islands, 1817-1899 | 6 | MICROFILM 31195 | MICROFILM 31195 GUIDE |
Thailand
Title | Reels | Call Number | Guide |
---|---|---|---|
Despatches from U.S. Ministers to Siam, 1882-1906 (M172) | 9 | Online and MICROFILM.4059.J | CD3022 .A2x no.M172 |
Records of the Department of State relating to Political Relations between the United States and Siam, 1910-1929 (M730) and between Siam and other states, 1910-1929 (M731) | CD3022 .A2x no. M730-M731 Doe Reference | ||
Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs Thailand, 1945-1954: State Department central files: (1945-1949) 892 ; (1950-1954) 792, 892, and 992. | 31 | MICROFILM 79523 | |
Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs Thailand, 1955-1963 : internal affairs State Department central files: 792, 892, and 992. | 22 | MICROFILM 79524 |
British Diplomatic Records
Foreign Office Files for China, 1919-1980
All British Foreign Office files dealing with China, Hong Kong and Taiwan between 1919 and 1980, covering important historical events in modern Chinese history.Foreign Office Files for India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, 1947-1980
British Government files on South Asia for the period between 1947 and 1980.
Diplomatic Records on Microfilm: https://www.archives.gov/atlanta/finding-aids/microfilm/diplomatic.html