Library Guides: History: Asia: Diplomatic Records

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 U C Library Search 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, 1910-1929 (M722)	28	MICROFILM 78664	MICROFILM 78664 GUIDE
Confidential U.S. State Department Central Files, Asia, 1960-1969		Online

Afghanistan

Title	Reels	Call Number	Guide
Afghanistan and the U.S., 1945-1963: Records of the U.S. State Department Central Classified Files		Online

Burma

Title	Reels	Call Number	Guide
Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of India and Burma, 1910-1929 (M335)	26	MICROFILM 19582 DS	MICROFILM 19582 DS Guide
Records of the Department of State Relating to Political Relations between India and Burma and Other States, 1910-29 (M344)	1	MICROFILM 4302 J	MICROFILM 4302 J Guide
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,1960-January 1963	9	Online and MICROFILM 79463	MICROFILM 79463 GUIDE

China

Title	Reels	Call Number	Guide
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Canton, China, 1790-1906	20	Online and 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	Online and MICROFILM 4094.J	MICROFILM 4094.J GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Hong Kong, 1844-1906	21	Online and MICROFILM 4096.J	MICROFILM 4096.J GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Shanghai, 1847-1906	53	Online and MICROFILM 4098.J	MICROFILM 4098.J GUIDE
Selected Records of the U.S. Legation in China, 1849-1931		Online
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Foochow, China, 1849-1906	10	Online and MICROFILM 4095.J	MICROFILM 4095.J GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Macao, China, 1849-1906	2	Online and MICROFILM 4097.J	MICROFILM 4097.J GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Ningpo, China, 1853-1896	7	Online and MICROFILM 4166.J	MICROFILM 4166.J GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Swatow, China, 1860-1881	4	Online and MICROFILM 4168.J	MICROFILM 4168.J GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Hankow, China, 1861-1906	8	Online and MICROFILM 4163.J	MICROFILM 4163.J GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Chefoo, China, 1863-1906	9	Online and MICROFILM 4158.J	MICROFILM 4158.J GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Chinkiang, China, 1864-1902	7	Online and MICROFILM 4162.J	MICROFILM 4162.J GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Newchwang, Manchuria, China, 1865-1906	7	Online and MICROFILM 4165.J	MICROFILM 4165.J GUIDE
Notes from the Chinese Legation in the United States to the Department of State, 1868-1906 (M98)	6	Online and MICROFILM.4130.J	MICROFILM.4130.J GUIDE
Notes to the Chinese legation in the United States from the Department of State, 1868-1906 (M99)	2	MICROFILM 78377	MICROFILM 78377 GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Tientsin, China, 1868-1906	8	Online and MICROFILM 4133.J	MICROFILM 4133.J GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Chunking, China, 1896-1906		Online
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Nanking, China, 1902-1906	1	Online and MICROFILM 4201.J
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Hangchow, China, 1904-1906	1	Online and MICROFILM 4200.J	MICROFILM 4200.J GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Mukden, Manchuria, China, 1904-1906	1	Online and MICROFILM 33214	MICROFILM 33214 GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Antung, Manchuria, China, 1904-1906	1	Online and 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
Records of the U.S. Department of State relating to the internal affairs of China, 1930-1939	167	MICROFILM 31217	MICROFILM 31217 GUIDE
Records of the U.S. Department of State relating to the Internal affairs of China, 1940-1944	43	MICROFILM 31647	MICROFILM 31647 GUIDE
Records of the U.S. Department of State relating to the internal affairs of China, 1945-1949	69	MICROFILM 32518	MICROFILM 32518 GUIDE

India

Title	Reels	Call Number	Guide
Despatches from United States consuls in Calcutta, India, 1792-1906 (M450)	7	MICROFILM 31382	MICROFILM 31382 GUIDE
Despatches from United States consuls in Bombay, 1838-1906 (M168)	8	MICROFILM 4161 J	CD3022 .A2x no.M168
Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of India and Burma, 1910-1929 (M335)	26	MICROFILM 19582 DS	MICROFILM 19582 DS Guide
Records of the Department of State Relating to Political Relations between India and Burma and Other States, 1910-29 (M344)	1	MICROFILM 4302 J	MICROFILM 4302 J Guide
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
Confidential U.S. State Department central files. India: 1945-1949	48	MICROFILM 33170	MICROFILM 33170 GUIDE
Confidential U.S. State Department central files. India, 1950-1954, internal affairs: decimal numbers 791, 891, and 991	100	MICROFILM 77973	MICROFILM 77973 GUIDE
India from Crown Rule to Republic, 1945-1945: Records of the US State Department
India-Pakistan Conflict: Records of the US State Department, 1963-1966

Indonesia

Title	Reels	Call Number	Guide
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Batavia, Java, Netherlands East Indies, 1818-1906 (M449)		Online and MICROFILM 31805	MICROFILM 31805 GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Padang, Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies, 1853-1898		Online

Japan

Title	Reels	Call Number	Guide
Selected Records of the U.S. Legation in Japan, 1855-1912 (T400)		Online
Despatches from U.S. Ministers to Japan, 1855-1906 (M133)	82	Online and MICROFILM.4057.J	CD3022 A2x no.M133 Doe Reference
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Hakodate, Japan, 1856-1878 (M452)		Online
Notes from the Japanese Legation in the United States to the Department of State, 1858-1906 (M163)	9	Online and MICROFILM.4144.J	CD3022 .A2x no.M163 Doe Reference
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Kanagawa, Japan, 1861-1897 (M135)	22	Online and MICROFILM.4160.J	MICROFILM 4160 J guide
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Nagasaki, Japan, 1860-1906 (M131)	7	Online and MICROFILM.4142.J	MICROFILM 4142 J guide
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Osaka and Hiogo (Kobe) Japan, 1868-1906 (M460)		Online
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Yokohama, Japan, 1897-1906 (M136)	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)	1	MICROFILM.4303.J	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 (M134)	22	Online and MICROFILM 4058.J	MICROFILM 4058.J Guide
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Seoul, Korea, 1886-1906 (M167)	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 (M166)	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 (M1448)	6	MICROFILM 79041

Philippines

Title	Reels	Call Number	Guide
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Manila, Philippine Islands, 1817-1899 (M455)	6	Online and MICROFILM 31195	MICROFILM 31195 GUIDE
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Iloilo, Philippine Islands, 1876-1886 (T109)		Online

Singapore (Straits Settlements)

Title	Reels	Call Number	Guide
Despatches from U.S. consuls in Singapore, Straits Settlements, 1833-1906		Online

Thailand (Siam)

Title	Reels	Call Number	Guide
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Bangkok, Siam, 1856-1906 (M448)		Online	CD3022 .A2x no.M448
Selected records of the U.S. Consulate in Bangkok, Siam, 1856-1912 (T403)		Online
Notes from the Siamese Legation in the United States to the Department of State, 1876-1906 (M512)		Online
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

Vietnam (Indochina)

Title	Call Number	Guide
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Saigon, Vietnam, 1889-1906	Online
Confidential U.S. State Department central files. Indochina, 1945-1949: Internal Affairs	MICROFILM 78993	MICROFILM 78993 Guide
Confidential U.S. State Department central files. Vietnam 1960-January 1963: Internal Affairs and Foreign Affairs	MICROFILM 78189	MICROFILM 78189 Guide

U.S. Diplomatic Post Records, 1914-1945
Formerly confidential reports of U.S. diplomats and officers stationed in Central America, Japan, the Middle East, and the Soviet Union.

British Diplomatic Records

Confidential Print, Far Eastern Affairs, 1937-1941 [microform]
Call Number: MICROFILM 32739 Newspapers & Microforms
Confidential print, China 1848-June 1937 [microform]
Call Number: MICROFILM 32738 Newspapers & Microforms
Confidential print, Siam, (Thailand) and South-east Asia, 1882-June 1937: correspondence relating to Siam and to the countries of Indo-China, Indonesia and the Malayan Peninsula, but excluding Borneo and Sulu [microform]
Call Number: MICROFILM 31807 Newspapers & Microforms

China and the Modern World: Hong Kong, Britain and China (1841-1951) This link opens in a new window
This database comprises a collection of Hong Kong-related historical records, selected from the British Colonial Office, consisting of original correspondence between the governors of Hong Kong and the Colonial Office, as well as letters and telegram
This resource provides detailed and valuable information on the political, military, social, economic, and external development of Hong Kong. It also sheds light on the British Empire in Asia, China’s transformation from empire to republic, mainland China-Hong Kong relations, and the international politics of East Asia. It is full-text searchable, and side-by-side OCR text readers for image based text was built in the database.
Foreign Office Files for China, 1919-1980 This link opens in a new window
All British Foreign Office files dealing with China, Hong Kong and Taiwan between 1919 and 1980, covering important historical events in modern Chinese history.
These formerly restricted British government documents, consisting of diplomatic dispatches, letters, newspaper cuttings, maps, reports of court cases, biographies of leading personalities, summaries of events and diverse other materials, provide unprecedented levels of detail into one of the most turbulent centuries of Chinese history. Historical events covered include the Long March, civil war in China and the Manchurian Crisis, Japanese war, the seeds of communist victory, the Communist revolution, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution.
Central Asia, Persia and Afghanistan, 1834-1922 This link opens in a new window
Explores the history of Persia (Iran), Central Asia and Afghanistan from the decline of the Silk Road in the first half of the nineteenth century to the establishment of Soviet rule over parts of the region in the early 1920s.
This resource is comprised of correspondence, intelligence reports, agents’ diaries, minutes, maps, newspaper excerpts and other materials from the FO 65, FO 106, FO 371 and FO 539 series at the UK National Archives.
Foreign Office Files for India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, 1947-1980 This link opens in a new window
British Government files on South Asia for the period between 1947 and 1980.
Sourced from the British Foreign Office files, this resource covers the political and social history of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan in this period with additional content on Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Kashmir, as well as other frontier regions. Other files look at the impact on United Kingdom, US and European trade, industrial policy, education and the media. Includes variety of material: diplomatic dispatches, telegrams, newspaper cuttings and transcripts, maps, photographs, political and economic reports, minutes of meetings, conference proceedings, leaflets, letters, and other ephemera.
Foreign Office Files for Southeast Asia, 1963-1980 This link opens in a new window
Provides a Western view of events in the region through official government documents and records covering the wider region and the rising animosity towards the perceived threat of communism at the time [1963-1980]
Consisting of correspondence, maps, government dispatches and press releases from the FO 371, DO 169, DO 187, FCO 15 and FCO 24 series, this resource offers insight into the political and economic challenges faced during this period as the region moved towards industrialization and establishing the foundations for economic growth.
Foreign Office Files for Japan, 1919-1952 This link opens in a new window
Provides full-text searchable access to formerly restricted top level discussions and correspondence from the British Embassy and consulate in Japan. Access is available for all three modules.
Includes memoranda, reports, minute sheets and correspondence, along with detailed assessments of key events, speeches, maps, and topics of special interest. Includes Japan-specific files from the FO 371 and FO 262 series and is supplemented by files from the Western and American Department papers in FO 371.

British Documents on Foreign Affairs, Reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print

Part I, From the mid-nineteenth century to the First World War. Series E, Asia, 1860-1914  JZ633 .B745 1989 Main (Gardner) Stacks 30 vol.
Part III, from 1940-1945. Series E Asia   JZ632 .B765 1997 Main (Gardner) Stacks 8 vol.
Part IV, from 1946-through 1950. Series E Asia   JZ632 .B775 2000 Main (Gardner) Stacks or Online 11 vol.

China: Political Reports 1911-1960
Digitized political reports sent by British officials based in China back to the British foreign office in London. These discuss the rise of communism in china and its effects over more than half a century.
China: Political Reports: 1961-1970
The political reports sent to the British Foreign Office from 1961-1971 cover the recovery from the ‘Great Leap Forward’ and the main thrust of the ‘Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution’. They also address China’s relationship with Russia and disputes with India over Tibet.
Japan political and economic reports, 1906-1970
An extensive series of British diplomatic reports containing a continuous account of developments in Japanese history from 1906–1960, updated by the addition of previously withheld documents from the 1940s and 2 volumes of documents from 1960–1970.
Korea: political & economic reports, 1882-1970
Includes all available diplomatic reports regarding Korea that are housed in the British National Archives.
Shanghai: political and economic reports, 1842-1943
This collection of primary documents establishes a comprehensive series of despatches, in the main from the British consul in Shanghai to the British ambassador to China usually based in Peking, but in the 1930s based in Shanghai itself.

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History: Asia: Diplomatic Records