Confidential U.S. State Department and Diplomatic Post Special Files, Asia, 1945-1966
The Confidential U.S. State Department "Special" or "Lot" Files represent a rich source for students of American foreign policy. Focusing on political affairs, economic conditions, and policy positions, these documents complement the State Department Central Files and form a foundation for in-depth study of international affairs. Maintained by various State Department offices, bureaus, committees, and individuals, the Special Files hold a vast amount of unique material not preserved in the Central Files. The Special Files provide an especially valuable source for working papers, annotated memoranda, verbatim transcripts, drafts, and other informal material. Further, the Special Files often contain documents State Department officials considered too sensitive or important to forward to the general Central Files. The set of State Department and Diplomatic Post records covers the U.S. occupation of Japan following World War II, development of postwar Japan, the San Francisco Peace Conference of 1951, and economic conditions in Japan; the Korean War, peace negotiations, U.S.-Korea relations, and the rebuilding of South Korea after the end of fighting in the Korean War; military and economic relations between Japan, Korea, and the U.S. in the 1950s; ANZUS treaty talks with Australia and New Zealand; Nationalist and anti-colonial resistance movements in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaya; and efforts to establish a Southeast Asia Treaty Organization.