Collection Summary
Charles E. Bohlen Papers
1862-1978
(bulk 1940-1973)
1862-1978
(bulk 1940-1973)
MSS13102
Bohlen, Charles E.
(Charles Eustis), 1904-1974
9,350
items
36 containers plus 2 classified and 2
oversize
14.8 linear feet
English
Collection material in
English
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
Diplomat, executive,
and author. Correspondence, speeches and lectures, writings, drafts, notes,
research material, appointment books, interviews, subject files, photographs
and photograph albums, and other papers largely relating to Bohlen's diplomatic
career and his book Witness to History, 1929-1969.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Acheson, Dean, 1893-1971.
Bohlen, Charles E. (Charles Eustis), 1904-1974.
Bohlen, Charles E. (Charles Eustis), 1904-1974. Witness to history, 1929-1969. 1973.
Eustis, James B. (James Biddle), 1834-1899.
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945.
Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972.
Organizations
Yalta Conference (1945 : I︠A︡lta, Ukraine)
Subjects
Diplomatic and consular service, American--France.
Diplomatic and consular service, American--Philippines.
Diplomatic and consular service, American--Soviet Union.
World War, 1939-1945--Diplomatic history.
World War, 1939-1945--Peace.
Places
Berlin (Germany)--Description and travel.
France--Foreign relations--United States.
Japan--Description and travel.
Korea (South)--Description and travel.
Philippines--Foreign relations--United States.
Soviet Union--Foreign relations--United States.
United States--Foreign relations--20th century.
United States--Foreign relations--France.
United States--Foreign relations--Philippines.
United States--Foreign relations--Soviet Union.
Occupations
Authors.
Diplomats.
Executives.
Provenance
The papers of Charles E. Bohlen, diplomat, executive, and author,
were deposited in the Library of Congress by Bohlen and his wife, Avis H.
Bohlen, in 1974. Mrs. Bohlen deposited further papers in 1981. In 1982,
Bohlen's daughter, Avis Bohlen Calleo, gave more papers to the Library and all
former deposits were converted to a gift.
Processing History
The papers of Charles E. Bohlen were arranged and described circa
1982. The finding aid was revised in 1994. Portions of the papers were
reprocessed and the finding aid revised in 2011.
Transfers
Items have been transferred from the Manuscript Division to other
custodial divisions of the Library. Some photographs have been transferred to
the Prints and Photographs Division. Audio recordings have been transferred to
the Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division. All transfers
are identified in these divisions as part of the Charles E. Bohlen Papers.
Other Repositories
Charles E. Bohlen presented his official papers to the National
Archives and Records Administration where they are housed as part of the
records of the Department of State.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Charles E.
Bohlen is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17,
U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of Charles E. Bohlen are open to research. Researchers are
advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many
collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these
items for research use.
Security Classified Documents
Government regulations control the use of security classified material
in this collection. Manuscript Division staff can furnish information
concerning access to and use of classified materials.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Container number, Charles E. Bohlen Papers, Manuscript
Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1904, Aug. 30
Born, Clayton, N.Y.
1927
A.B., Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
1929
Entered the Foreign Service, Washington, D.C.
1929
1931
Vice consul, Prague, Czechoslovakia
1934
Third secretary, Department of State, Moscow, Soviet
Union
1935
Married Avis Thayer (died 1981)
1935
1938
Assigned to Division of Eastern European Affairs, Department
of State
1938
1939
Consul, Moscow, Soviet Union
1940
1941
Second secretary, Department of State, Tokyo, Japan
1943
Attended Moscow Conference, Moscow, Soviet Union
1943
1944
First secretary, Department of State, Moscow, Soviet
Union
1944
Interpreter for Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tehran Conference,
Tehran, Iran
1945
Interpreter for Franklin D. Roosevelt, Yalta Conference,
Yalta, Crimea
Interpreter for Harry S. Truman, Potsdam Conference,
Potsdam, Germany
Political and liaison officer, United Nations Delegation,
San Francisco, Calif.
1946
Special assistant to secretary of state
1947
Counselor, Department of State
1948
Minister, Paris, France
1953
1957
Ambassador to the Soviet Union
1957
1959
Ambassador to the Philippines
1959
1961
Special assistant to secretary of state for Soviet
affairs
1961
Published
The Foreign Service and the Panorama of Change
. Washington, D.C.: Department of State
1962
1969
Ambassador to France
1969
President, Italamerica, S.A.
Published
The Transformation of American Foreign Policy
. New York: Norton
1969
1973
Member of international council, Morgan Guaranty & Trust
Co.
1973
Published
Witness to History, 1929-1969
. New York: Norton
1974, Jan. 1
Died, Washington, D.C.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Charles Eustis ("Chip") Bohlen (1904-1974) span the
years 1862-1978, with the bulk of the material dating from 1940 to 1973. The
papers are organized into the following series:
[Appointment
Books](app),
[Speeches and
Writings](spee),
[Miscellany](misc),
[Addition I](add1),
[Addition
II](add2),
[Classified](class), and
[Oversize](over).
The
[Speeches and
Writings File](spee) series is the largest and includes speeches given during
Bohlen's ambassadorships to the Soviet Union, Philippines, and France, and
lectures given after his retirement in 1969. Topics include foreign policy and
Soviet relations. The writings mostly center around his book
Witness to History, 1929-1969
, and include various drafts and revisions, along with research
material, notes, transcriptions of tapes, and correspondence. Other speeches
and writings are in
[Addition I](add1)
and
[Addition II](add2).
The
[Appointment
Books](app), including those in
[Addition
II](add2), roughly cover Bohlen's years as the ambassador to France.
[Addition I](add1)
contains congratulatory correspondence relating to his ambassadorial
appointments and appointments to other United States Department of State
positions. Included also are subject files containing biographical information
on Bohlen and his grandfather, James B. Eustis, who also was an ambassador and
United States senator; official logs of the trips to Berlin, Germany, and the
Yalta Conference, in 1945, by presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S.
Truman; and transcripts of addresses given by Dean Acheson. The photograph
albums and scrapbooks mostly depict ceremonies that took place while Bohlen was
the ambassador to France, but also the peace conferences held during and after
World War II, and a trip to South Korea and Japan in 1951.
[Addition II](add2)
contains both family and general correspondence, including a separate file of
letters with George F. Kennan. Further material includes interviews, awards,
estate papers, passports, and reports on visits to Soviet schools in 1955.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged in eight series:
-
[Appointment
Books, 1963-1968](app)
-
[Speeches and
Writings File, 1934-1973](spee)
-
[Miscellany,
1940-1972 ](misc)
-
[Addition I,
1906-1975](add1)
-
[Addition II,
1862-1978](add2)
-
[Classified,
1957-1973](class)
-
[Top Secret,
1973](ts)
-
[Oversize,
1943-1947](over)
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm82013102]
Container List
Container
Contents
1-2
Appointment Books,
1963-1968
1963-1968
Appointment books kept by secretary.
Arranged chronologically.
1
1963-1965
1963-1965
(3
vols.)
2
1966-1968
[
See also Container 36, same heading
](appoint36)
1966-1968
(3
vols.)
3-28
Speeches and Writings
File,
1934-1973
1934-1973
Speeches, lectures, drafts of books, research notes, and galley
proofs.
Arranged by type of material.
3
Speeches
3
Chronological
3
1957-1964
1957-1964
(7
folders)
4
1965-1967
1965-1967
(4
folders)
4
1968
1968
(3
folders)
5
(5
folders)
6
(7
folders)
7
(1
folder)
7
1969
1969
7
Miscellany,
1969-1971, undated
1969-1971, undated
7
Lectures
7
Contracts and scheduling,
1969-1971
1969-1971
7
"Divided Countries," a series
of three lectures,
circa 1969
circa 1969
(2
folders)
7
"Russian-American and
American-Soviet Relations," De Pauw University, Greencastle, Ind.,
1969, Sept. 19
1969, Sept. 19
8
"The Transformation of American
Foreign Policy," a series of three lectures,
circa 1969
circa 1969
8
Writings
8
Books
8
Witness to History, 1929-1969
8
Drafts
8
Photocopied drafts with
revisions, chapters
8
1-25
(4
folders)
9
26-29
9
First draft,
chapters
9
1-12
(4
folders)
10
13-29
(4
folders)
10
Second draft with
revisions, marked as B, chapters
10
1-4
11
4-17
(5
folders)
12
18-33
(5
folders)
13
First draft, complete
book, marked as B2, chapters 1-31
(5
folders)
14
Second draft, complete
book, chapters 1-29
(3
folders)
14
Final copy, complete
book, carbons, chapters 1-29
(3
folders)
15
Typed copy with
revisions, chapters
15
1-24
(5
folders)
16
25-29
16
First set with revisions,
chapters
16
1-13
(4
folders)
17
15-27
(2
folders)
17
Second set without
revisions, chapters 1-23
(4
folders)
18
Rough draft, chapters,
1972, Oct. 25
1972, Oct. 25
18
1-25
(5
folders)
19
26-end,
notes
19
Incomplete, chapters,
1-17 (pages 1-424)
(2
folders)
19
Incomplete,
chapters
19
1-5 (pages
1-145)
20
5-22 (pages 146-583,
notes)
(3
folders)
20
First copies with
revisions, chapter 2
20
First copies, carbons,
chapters 3-9
21
Typed draft, first draft,
chapters 13-19
21
Handwritten copy,
chapters 1-11
21
Rough copies, chapters
1-3,
1969, July 31
1969, July 31
21
First revision of index,
pages 1-72
21
Tape transcription
without revisions, chapters 3-7 (1759x13 to 7467x88)
21
Tape transcription, tape
no. 2 (notes): side 1, chapters 17-18; side 2, chapter 18, Berlin
blockade
21
Loose draft
pages
22
Galley proofs,
1972-1973
1972-1973
(2
folders)
23
(2
folders)
24
Research
material
24
By chapters
24
Chapters 1-15, odds and
ends,
undated
undated
(2
folders)
24
Chapters
1-5
(5
folders)
25
Chapters
6-15
(10
folders)
26
Chapters
16-31
(14
folders)
27
Chapters
32-33
(2
folders)
27
Correspondence,
1966-1972, undated
1966-1972, undated
27
Foreign policy chapters,
1969-1971, undated
1969-1971, undated
27
General records of the
Department of State, Decimal File, telegrams,
1939-1940
1939-1940
27
Kennan, George, F.,
letters,
1945
1945
27
Miscellaneous,
1970, undated
1970, undated
27
Moscow, Soviet Union,
memories,
1934
1934
27
Notes
27
Chapters 1-26,
undated
undated
27
Chapters 1-33,
undated
undated
(1
folder)
28
(1
folder)
28
Questions,
undated
undated
28
Soviet atomic progress,
undated
undated
28
The Transformation of American Foreign Policy
,
circa 1969
circa 1969
28
Miscellany
28
Article on Harry S. Truman,
1966-1967
1966-1967
28
Interview of Bohlen regarding
John F. Kennedy,
1964
1964
28
Miscellany,
1940-1972
1940-1972
Subject file and printed matter.
Arranged alphabetically by type of material or name of
organization.
28
Population Crisis Committee,
1970, undated
1970, undated
(2
folders)
28
Printed matter,
1940, 1968-1972
1940, 1968-1972
29-35
Addition I,
1906-1975
1906-1975
Correspondence, subject files, speeches and writings, near print
and printed matter, and photograph albums and scrapbooks.
Arranged by type of material or topic.
29
General
correspondence
29
Congratulatory appointment
letters
29
Ambassador to France,
1962
1962
(2
folders)
29
Ambassador to Soviet Union,
1953
1953
(2
folders)
30
Counselor to the State
Department,
1947
1947
(2
folders)
30
Under secretary of state,
1968
1968
30
Departure from Manila,
Philippines, and reassignment to Washington, D.C.,
1958-1962
[
See also
Classified
](classdepart)
1958-1962
30
Reassignment from Moscow,
Soviet Union,
1955-1959
[
See also Classified
](classre)
1955-1959
30
Witness to History, 1929-1969
,
1973
1973
30
Miscellaneous personal letters,
1949-1975
1949-1975
30
Subject file
30
Biographical data,
1906, 1923, 1961, 1968
1906, 1923, 1961, 1968
30
Eustis, James B.,
1962-1968
1962-1968
30
President's official log, trip
to Berlin, Germany,
1945
1945
31
President's official log, trip
to the Yalta Conference, Yalta, Crimea, and Great Bitter Lake, Egypt,
1945
1945
31
Acheson, Dean, typescripts of
addresses,
circa 1957-circa 1962
circa 1957-circa 1962
(3
folders)
31
Speeches and writings
31
Thompson, Llewellyn, eulogy,
1972
1972
31
United States-Soviet relations,
speech notes,
undated
undated
31
"Views on U.S.S.R.," memorandum
of opinion,
1957
[
See also
Classified
](classview)
1957
31
Miscellany
31
Autographs of diplomatic corps,
Moscow, Soviet Union,
1957
1957
31
Photographs, photograph albums,
and scrapbooks
31
Korea (South) and Japan,
1951
1951
32
Veterans of Foreign Wars of
America, award to Georges Pompidou,
1965
1965
32
Liberation Day, Strasbourg,
France,
1964
1964
32
American Legion ceremony,
Paris, France,
1965
1965
33
Liberation Day, 20th
anniversary, Colmar, France,
1965
1965
33
John F. Kennedy Memorial
Garden dedication, France,
1965
1965
33
Peace conferences
33
Tehran, Iran, through
Yalta, Crimea,
Nov. 1943-Feb. 1945
[
See Oversize
](over33a)
Nov. 1943-Feb. 1945
33
Post Yalta, Crimea,
Mar. 1945-1947
[
See Oversize
](over33b)
Mar. 1945-1947
34-36
Addition II,
1862-1978
1862-1978
Correspondence, speeches and statements, interviews, memorabilia,
and other papers.
Arranged by type of material.
34
Correspondence
34
Family
34
Bohlen, Avis Thayer (wife),
1934-1965, undated
1934-1965, undated
(2
folders)
34
Bohlen, Celestine Eustis
(mother),
1932-1940
1932-1940
34
Bohlen children,
1954-1969, undated
1954-1969, undated
34
General,
1943-1978, undated
[
See also Classified
](class34)
1943-1978, undated
(3
folders)
34
Kennan, George F.,
1951, 1959-1960, 1970, undated
1951, 1959-1960, 1970, undated
34
Interviews,
1964-1968
1964-1968
35
Speeches and statements,
1953-1968
1953-1968
(2
folders)
35
Miscellany
35
Awards,
circa 1943-circa 1972
circa 1943-circa 1972
35
Witness to History, 1929-1969
, contract and book reviews,
1968-1973
1968-1973
36
Appointment
books,
1961-1962
[
See also Containers 1-2, same heading
](appoint1)
1961-1962
(2
folders)
36
Autographed letter, William
Makepeace Thackery to Torben de Bille, Danish minister to England,
ante 1862, Feb.
ante 1862, Feb.
36
Estate papers,
1942-1943, 1961
1942-1943, 1961
36
Notebooks,
undated
undated
36
Passports,
circa 1923-circa 1971
circa 1923-circa 1971
36
Pass, card, and fragment,
1945-1957, undated
1945-1957, undated
36
Reports on visits to Soviet
schools,
1955
1955
36
Speeches by others,
1947, 1957
1947, 1957
36
Tolstoy Foundation, New York,
N.Y.,
1961-1962
1961-1962
CL 1
Classified,
1957-1973
1957-1973
Correspondence and memoranda.
Arranged and described according to the series, containers, and
folders from which the items were removed.
CL 1
Addition I
CL 1
General
correspondence
CL 1
Departure
from Manila, Philippines, and reassignment to Washington, D.C.,
1958-1962 (Container 30)
1958-1962
CL 1
Reassignment
from Moscow, Soviet Union
1959 (Container 30)
1959
CL 1
Speeches and
writings
CL 1
"Views on
U.S.S.R.," memorandum of opinion
1957 (Container 31)
1957
CL 1
Addition II
CL 1
Correspondence
CL 1
General,
1957-1973 (Container 34)
1957-1973
CL 1
Braadland, Erik
CL 1
Alphand, Hervé
CL 1
Burden, William
CL 1
Heeney, A. D. P. (Arnold
Danford Patrick)
CL 1
Vones, Lewis
CL 1
Livingston, Merchant
T.
CL 1
Reilly, Patrick
CL 1
Drumright, Everett
F.
CL 1
Yergin, Daniel to Maxwell
M. Hamilton,
1973
[
See Top Secret
](ts)
1973
TS 1
Top Secret,
1973
1973
Correspondence with enclosure dated 1946.
Arranged and described according to the series, containers, and
folders from which the items were removed.
TS 1
Yergin, Daniel, to Maxwell M.
Hamilton,
1973 (Container 34)
1973
OV 1-OV 2
Oversize,
1943-1947
1943-1947
Photograph albums.
Arranged and described according to the series, containers, and
folders from which the items were removed.
OV 1
Addition I
OV 1
Miscellany
OV 1
Photographs, photograph
albums, and scrapbooks
OV 1
Peace
conferences
OV 1
Tehran,
Iran, through Yalta, Crimea,
Nov. 1943-Feb. 1945 (Container 33)
Nov. 1943-Feb. 1945
OV 2
Post Yalta,
Crimea,
Mar. 1945-1947 (Container 33)
Mar. 1945-1947