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Digital Archive International History Declassified

Welcome

The Digital Archive contains once-secret documents from governments all across the globe, uncovering new sources and providing fresh insights into the history of international relations and diplomacy. It collects the research of three Wilson Center projects which focus on the interrelated histories of the Cold War, Korea, and Nuclear Proliferation. [Read more]

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themes

Learn about specific topics and regions through essays, timelines and educational resources.

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documents

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featured
documents

March 25, 1984

Cable from Ambassador Katori to the Foreign Minister, 'Prime Minster Visit to China (Conversation with Chairman Deng Xiaoping)'

Deng Xiaoping talks about his rise within the Chinese Communist Party, calling the Cultural Revolution the "most difficult experience" in his long career.

March 24, 1984

Cable from Ambassador Katori to the Foreign Minister, 'Prime Minister Visit to China (Summit Meeting – Korean Peninsula Affairs)'

Nakasone and Zhao Ziyang discuss economic exchanges between South Korea and China, trilateral talks between the two Koreas and the US, and visits between divided Korean families.

February 05, 1954

Decree of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Council of Ministers, 'Concerning the Transfer of the Crimean Oblast' from the RSFSR to the UkSSR'

Decree announcing the transfer of Crimea from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic (here abbreviated USSR).

November 09, 1957

Addition to Memorandum of Conversation between Czechoslovak Parliamentary Delegation and Mao Zedong, 29 September 1957

The Head of the Czechoslovak delegation and Mao Zedong agree that relations between the CSSR, PRC, and USSR are politically strong but require economic improvement, according to …

March 29, 1969

Report on Visit of Soviet Ambassador Stepan Chervenenko to Czechoslovak Foreign Ministry

Conversation between Soviet Ambassador Chervenenko and Czechoslovak State Secretary Václav Pleskot. They discuss the recent Ice Hockey World Championship and the anti-Soviet …

June 10, 1981

Letter from Israeli General Rafael Eitan to South African Minister Magnus Malan on Israeli Airstrike on Iraqi Nuclear Reactor

Chief of Staff of Israel Defense Forces, General Rafael Eitan writes to South African Minister of Defence Magnus Malan shortly after Israel’s 1981 strike on Iraq’s Osirak …

March 25, 1984

Cable from Ambassador Katori to the Foreign Minister, 'Prime Minster Visit to China (Conversation with Chairman Deng Xiaoping)'

Deng Xiaoping talks about his rise within the Chinese Communist Party, calling the Cultural Revolution the "most difficult experience" in his long career.

March 24, 1984

Cable from Ambassador Katori to the Foreign Minister, 'Prime Minister Visit to China (Summit Meeting – Korean Peninsula Affairs)'

Nakasone and Zhao Ziyang discuss economic exchanges between South Korea and China, trilateral talks between the two Koreas and the US, and visits between divided Korean families.

February 05, 1954

Decree of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Council of Ministers, 'Concerning the Transfer of the Crimean Oblast' from the RSFSR to the UkSSR'

Decree announcing the transfer of Crimea from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic (here abbreviated USSR).

November 09, 1957

Addition to Memorandum of Conversation between Czechoslovak Parliamentary Delegation and Mao Zedong, 29 September 1957

The Head of the Czechoslovak delegation and Mao Zedong agree that relations between the CSSR, PRC, and USSR are politically strong but require economic improvement, according to …

March 29, 1969

Report on Visit of Soviet Ambassador Stepan Chervenenko to Czechoslovak Foreign Ministry

Conversation between Soviet Ambassador Chervenenko and Czechoslovak State Secretary Václav Pleskot. They discuss the recent Ice Hockey World Championship and the anti-Soviet …

June 10, 1981

Letter from Israeli General Rafael Eitan to South African Minister Magnus Malan on Israeli Airstrike on Iraqi Nuclear Reactor

Chief of Staff of Israel Defense Forces, General Rafael Eitan writes to South African Minister of Defence Magnus Malan shortly after Israel’s 1981 strike on Iraq’s Osirak …

featured
collections

SINO-JAPANESE RELATIONS

Once war time enemies, relations between China and Japan were often quite cordial during the Cold War.

COLD WAR ON ICE

Documents on international hockey during the Cold War.

SINO-SOVIET SPLIT, 1960-1984

Documents on the growing division and worsening relations between China and the Soviet Union following 1960.

IRAN-SOVIET RELATIONS

This collection contains Soviet documents related to Soviet-Iranian relations

SOUTH AFRICAN NUCLEAR HISTORY

Documents on the history of South African nuclear development.

INTERVIEWS BY AVNER COHEN

Research and interviews conducted by Avner Cohen that shed new light on the development of the Israeli nuclear program.

SINO-JAPANESE RELATIONS

Once war time enemies, relations between China and Japan were often quite cordial during the Cold War.

COLD WAR ON ICE

Documents on international hockey during the Cold War.

SINO-SOVIET SPLIT, 1960-1984

Documents on the growing division and worsening relations between China and the Soviet Union following 1960.

IRAN-SOVIET RELATIONS

This collection contains Soviet documents related to Soviet-Iranian relations

SOUTH AFRICAN NUCLEAR HISTORY

Documents on the history of South African nuclear development.

INTERVIEWS BY AVNER COHEN

Research and interviews conducted by Avner Cohen that shed new light on the development of the Israeli nuclear program.

Welcome

The Digital Archive contains once-secret documents from governments all across the globe, uncovering new sources and providing fresh insights into the history of international relations and diplomacy. It collects the research of three Wilson Center projects which focus on the interrelated histories of the Cold War, Korea, and Nuclear Proliferation. [Read more]

Explore
themes

Learn about specific topics and regions through essays, timelines and educational resources.

Browse
documents

Explore documents from the Digital Archive through the map, date, and subject browsing tools.

FROM THE
WILSON CENTER

Why Did Russia Give Away Crimea Sixty Years Ago?

In 1954 the Soviet Union transferred control of Crimea to Soviet Ukraine. Mark Kramer (Harvard) explains the reasons behind this surprising decision, one which has come back to haunt Ukraine today with tragic consequences.

China and Japan, Always at Odds?

In 1984, China and Japan maintained a pragmatic and cooperative diplomatic partnership. Charles Kraus, Sergey Radchenko, and Yutaka Kanda assess this "honeymoon" period in Sino-Japanese relations through nineteen newly available Japanese documents, and comment on what it can tell us about the animosity between China and Japan today.

TWITTER

Today in '81, Brezhnev recalls his conversation with PZPR leader Kania, discussions of Polish crisis. http://t.co/6Ts1q9ggf9 #coldwarhist

Today in '57, Soviet Amb and Kim Il Sung agree on the importance of solidarity between DPRK and USSR. http://t.co/vt5eUHZhPq #coldwarhist

Today in '61, Soviet Amb to Cuba and Che Guevara discuss US policy and JFK's recent statements on Cuba. http://t.co/nECE0aaIxc #coldwarhist

Today in '54, Radio Liberty memo urges increased communication with the people of the Soviet Union. http://t.co/RUQhj7gD7q #coldwarhist

Today in '76, Romanian Embassy relays Kim Yeong-nam's remarks about US troops in South Korea. http://t.co/PR3altyOsJ #coldwarhist