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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. The Digital Archive is overseen by the Wilson Center's History and Public Policy Program and focuses 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

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

Recently Added
Documents

October, 1970

Note from the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, No. 05/04119, 'Regarding the Issues that May Be Raised by the Shah'

Notes preparing the Romanian delegation for a meeting with the Shah of Iran. Stresses Romania's desire to develop and diversify its economic relations with Iran, in spite all …

April 27, 1986

Notice from the Operative Plenipotentiary of the 2nd Division of the 6th Administration of the Ukr. SSR KGB

The document refers to the detention of a civilian vehicle which exceeded the level of radiation permitted by the decontamination project of the Institute for Nuclear Research, …

April 30, 1986

Deputy Head of the 6th Department of the KGB Administration Lieut. Col. Aksenov, 'Notice of Emergency Incident'

This document relays data received from chemical protection troops on radioactivity levels in Pripyat.

May, 1986

Radiation Conditions in Kyiv, Borodianka, Polesskoe, and Ivankov

This undated report shows levels of radioactivity of air and water in Kyiv, Borodyanka, Polyesskoe, and Ivankov

May, 1986

Background Radiation in the Institute of Atomic Research of the Ukr. SSR Academy of Sciences

The paper shows a graph of background radiation levels from April 30th-May 2nd, 1986 within the IAR in Kyiv.

1981

About the Last Operation/ Operational Mission of Comrade [redacted]

Description of the work of an East German agent in Iran who worked with the Stasi (MfS).

October, 1970

Note from the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, No. 05/04119, 'Regarding the Issues that May Be Raised by the Shah'

Notes preparing the Romanian delegation for a meeting with the Shah of Iran. Stresses Romania's desire to develop and diversify its economic relations with Iran, in spite all …

April 27, 1986

Notice from the Operative Plenipotentiary of the 2nd Division of the 6th Administration of the Ukr. SSR KGB

The document refers to the detention of a civilian vehicle which exceeded the level of radiation permitted by the decontamination project of the Institute for Nuclear Research, …

April 30, 1986

Deputy Head of the 6th Department of the KGB Administration Lieut. Col. Aksenov, 'Notice of Emergency Incident'

This document relays data received from chemical protection troops on radioactivity levels in Pripyat.

May, 1986

Radiation Conditions in Kyiv, Borodianka, Polesskoe, and Ivankov

This undated report shows levels of radioactivity of air and water in Kyiv, Borodyanka, Polyesskoe, and Ivankov

May, 1986

Background Radiation in the Institute of Atomic Research of the Ukr. SSR Academy of Sciences

The paper shows a graph of background radiation levels from April 30th-May 2nd, 1986 within the IAR in Kyiv.

1981

About the Last Operation/ Operational Mission of Comrade [redacted]

Description of the work of an East German agent in Iran who worked with the Stasi (MfS).

Featured
Collections

CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR ACCIDENT, 1986

Soviet and Ukrainian records shed light on the lead-up to the Chernobyl disaster, the days of the accident, and the aftermath thereof.

SOVIET INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN

In December 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in response to a revolt against the Soviet-backed government.

EMIR FARID CHEHAB COLLECTION

Emir Farid Hares Chehab held many of the most politically sensitive positions in Lebanon from 1943 to the early 1970s.

NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR HISTORY

Formerly secret documents from the communist word reveal that North Korea's nuclear program began as early as the 1960s.

CONVERSATIONS WITH ZHOU ENLAI

Zhou Enlai, China's first foreign minister and longtime premier, shaped and influenced Chinese foreign policy from 1949 through 1976.

ARCHIVIO ANDREOTTI'S NATO SERIES

A collection of files broadly related to NATO affairs drawn from the archives of Giulio Andreotti.

CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR ACCIDENT, 1986

Soviet and Ukrainian records shed light on the lead-up to the Chernobyl disaster, the days of the accident, and the aftermath thereof.

SOVIET INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN

In December 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in response to a revolt against the Soviet-backed government.

EMIR FARID CHEHAB COLLECTION

Emir Farid Hares Chehab held many of the most politically sensitive positions in Lebanon from 1943 to the early 1970s.

NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR HISTORY

Formerly secret documents from the communist word reveal that North Korea's nuclear program began as early as the 1960s.

CONVERSATIONS WITH ZHOU ENLAI

Zhou Enlai, China's first foreign minister and longtime premier, shaped and influenced Chinese foreign policy from 1949 through 1976.

ARCHIVIO ANDREOTTI'S NATO SERIES

A collection of files broadly related to NATO affairs drawn from the archives of Giulio Andreotti.

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. The Digital Archive is overseen by the Wilson Center's History and Public Policy Program and focuses 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

Cold War International History Project

The Cold War International History Project supports the full and prompt release of historical materials by governments on all sides of the Cold War.

Nuclear Proliferation Int'l History Project

A global network of individuals and institutions engaged in the study of international nuclear history.

North Korea International Documentation Project

An informational clearinghouse on North Korea for both the scholarly and policymaking communities that disseminates newly declassified documents on the DPRK.

TWITTER

Translations of 28 documents about the Chernobyl nuclear accident from the archives of the Ukrainian KGB just added… https://t.co/d50aJHIEKT

KGB documents reveal details about the disinformation campaign that claimed AIDS was a US-designed biological weapo… https://t.co/3HQDRMvvfi

Get the facts straight on “Operation Denver,” the KGB campaign that attempted to pin the blame for AIDS on secret A… https://t.co/KiDcPW6Pxw

How the KGB painted AIDS as “the result of yet another Pentagon experiment with a new type of biological weapon”… https://t.co/u2MYJvvimF

Call for Papers - NATO: Past and Present, taking place at King’s College London on 6 December, 2019. Paper proposal… https://t.co/O0ZFYCPOCS