of U.S. government documents

G o v e r n m e n t P u b h c a t l o n s R e v i e w , Vol. 1, pp. 409--416 (1974). Pergamon Press P n n t e d m U.S.A.

VIEWS AND OVER-VIEWS ON/OF U.S. GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS Frederic O'Hara Professor of Library Science Palmer Graduate Library School Long Island University Greenvale, NY i i 548

ABSTRACT

In thts pertodic review of government pubhcations, the judgments expressed are those of the reviewer, Dr. Frederic O'Hara, Professor of Library Science, Graduate Ltbrary School, Long Island University, Greenvale, New York 11548. Unless otherwise indicated, all items may be purchased from the Supenntendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Dr. O'Hara does not handle the dtstribution of any documents. Depository libraries receive ttems marked with dot {o). THE ARMY'S MILITARY HISTORY OFFICE WHERE A HORDE OF HISTORY PHDS DO WW II IN 80 VOLUMES USING RECORDS, ABUNDANT FOR SEVERAL LIFETIMES OF RESEARCH

Pubhcanons of the Office, Chief of Mihtary Htstory. (o) Approximately 20 p. Revtsed perlo&cally This brochure hsts by series and provides annotations for those works published by the Office of the Chief of Mditary History (OCMH), U.S. Army, that are available for purchase either in book form, photoprint, or microfilm. It also hsts works in preparation.

US Army in World War H (o) D l 1 4 7 . This series of over 80 volumes, covenng virtually every aspect of the conflict, IS divided into several subsenes, each representing a theatre or umt of command. I wall gwe one or more dlustrative titles from each subsenes. Each volume contains, In ad&tion to an extended text, tables, charts, photographs and maps, explanations of map symbols, bibliographic notes, brief information about the author's background (usually a PhD m History), a glossary, a hst of abbreviations, a guide to the use of the footnotes, a valuable blbhographic note and an excellent index. The bibliographic note, by the way, tells us that. "The road map to most source material.., for many volumes m the series is Federal Records of World War 11. This National Archives pubfication describes the records of War Department agencies... So abundant are these records that even if the historian limited himself to examining those documents bearing directly on his field of interest several lifetimes of research would be reqmred."

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FREDERIC O'HARA The first subseries is entitled. THE WAR DEPARTMENT

Descriptions of two of the eight titles m this subseries follow: The Army and Economic Mobilization. By R. Elberton D114.7:W19/v.5.

Smith.

1959.

749

p.

A description and analysis of the basic problems, policies, and procedures associated with Army procurement and economic mobilization in World War lI. The account begins with prewar planning and the determination of military requirements, and runs in logical sequence all the way to the settlement and liqmdation of the wartime procurement effort. In the process, it shows how extensively the War Department became involved in business relationships. An "epilogue" chapter reviews and summarizes the effort of economic mobilization as a whole and presents the author's conclusions. The Army and Industrial Manpower. By Byron Fairchild and Jonathan Grossman. 1959. 291 p. D114.7:W19/v.7. The ways in which the Army and its officers met the problems into which they were drawn in dealing with organized labor are examined and lUustrated in this volume. The story Is told principally from the vantage point of the Office of the Under Secretary of War and the Industrial Personnel Division, Army Service Forces, with only brief and very general excursions into the field. Some of the topms here include: public opinion and the mobdization of labor; the problem of minority groups in the war industry; the employment of foreign workers and prisoners of war; the use of soldiers m industry; and compulsory service in the war industry versus voluntary labor. Ends with a chronological survey. Other subsenes and representative titles are listed below, beginning with. THE ARMY GROUND FORCES

The Organization of Ground Combat Troops. By Kent Roberts Greenfield, Robert R. Palmer, and Bell I. Wdey. 1947. 540 p. D114.7:ArS/v.1. The volume presents six studies dealing with basic organizational problems of the ground forces. The first study concerns the antecedents of the Army Ground Forces, covenng the years 1940-42. The next four studies relate the main problems and decisions regarding the size, internal organization, and armament of the ground troops deployed in the war. The last study explains the part played by the Army Ground Forces m the redeployment and reorganization of the ground forces for the final assault on Japan. THE ARMY SERVICE FORCES

The Organization and Role of the Army Service Forces. By John D. Mdlett. 1954. 494 p. D114.7Ar.5. The story is told from the point of wew of Commanding General Somervell of the Army Service Forces. The focus of attention is on problems of mat6riel rather than manpower. The ASF was a controversial administrative experiment, and the many controversies and differences of oplmon both inside and outside the command have been explored THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE

The Framework of Hemisphere Defense. By Stetson Conn and Byron Fairchild. 1960.470 p. D114.7:W52h/v.l.

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411

This is the first of two volumes describing the plans made and the measures taken by the Army to protect the United States and the rest of the Western Hemisphere from mditary attack dunng World War II. The evolution of the pohcy of hemisphere defense in the three years before Pearl Harbor, its gradual merger into a broader national defense pohcy of opposing Germany and Japan by all-out aid to nations fighting them, the quick transition to offensive plans after Pearl Harbor, and the mditary collaboration of the United States with the other American nations, particularly with Mexico, Canada, and Brazil, are covered in detail. The concluding chapter is a summary and an interpretation. THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS Sicily and the Surrender o f Italy. By Howard McGaw Smyth and Lt. Col. Albert N. Garland. 1965. 609 p. D114.7.M46/2/v.2. Operations in the invasion and conquest of Sicily are described. A second story, one of military diplomacy, covers the negotiatzons leading to Italy's surrender. THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS The Supreme Command. By Forrest C. Pogue. 1954. 607 p. Dl14.7:Su7. General Eisenhower's wartime exercise of command over the Allied Expeditionary Force is described, with the focus on Elsenhower and his staff and on those decisions of President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and the Combined Chiefs of Staff which affected the activities of the Supreme Commander. On the enemy side, details, not always known to Eisenhower at the time, about Hitler and his commanders provide a contrast between the Alhed and the enemy command organizations. THE MIDDLE EAST THEATER The Persian Comdor and Aid to Russia. By T. H. Vail Motter. 1952. 545 p. D114.7:M58/v.1. This is the story of the U.S. Army's activities m the Persian (lraman) Corridor in support of the aid-to-Russia supply program. The volume relates the problems faced by Allies who met in strange lands (where only mad dogs and Englishmen go out m the noonday sun) without the benefit of tested and well-coordinated policies to govern their diplomatic and military relations. THE CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER Stdwell's Mission to China. By Charles F. Romanus and Riley Sunderland. 1953. 441 p. D114.7:C44/v.1. Treated at length in this first volume of the CBI subserles are the proposals of General Stdwell to the National Government of Chma's Generalissimo Chlang Kai-Shek in the execution of his orders from the War Department to "support China," to assist In "improving the combat efficiency of the Chinese Army," and ultimately to help the Chinese to help themselves. The famous march from Burma and the Stllwell-Chennault controversy are described. THE TECHNICAL SERVICES Here we find titles on the Chemical Warfare Service, the Corps of Engineers, Medical

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FREDERIC O'HARA

Department, Ordnance Department, Quartermaster Corps, Signal Corps, and Transportation Corps - sometimes three or four volumes for each unit. SPECIAL STUDIES This last of the subserles covers such topics and titles as Buying Aircraft, the Employment of Negro Troops, the Army and the Atomic Bomb, and the Women's Army Corps. Plus the following. Chronology: 1941-1945. Compiled by Mary H. Wdliams. 1960. 660 p. (o) D114.7:C46. The chronology is primarily one of tactical events of the war day by day, from the attack on Pearl Harbor m 1941 to the signing of the surrender on the Missouri m 1945, with emphasis on ground actmn of U.S. armed forces Extenswe index. Valuable reference work to the whole lovely war for all hbranes. Master Index: Reader's Grade H Compded by the Chief Hlstorxan 1960 145 p. D114.7/2.2. This successor to Reader's Guide I, provides a brief analytical descnptmn of each of the first 53 volumes in this series' United States Army in World War 11. Each sketch is followed by a hst of the principal subjects found in each volume. A valuable index is appended.

READ ALL ABOUT 300 YEARS OF MILITARY HISTORY IN ONLY 700 PAGES (2 1/3 PAGES PER YEAR) WHEREIN MYTHS THAT HAVE BECOME FACTS ARE CORRECTED The Army Histoncal Series is an open-ended program that contains works prepared for OCMH publication on the Army's role in American history through the years and on selected military subjects of importance to the education of the Army. It would seem to me that some of the Utles in this series might fit more properly in the World War II Series described just above or in one of the others. But I guess it's sort of a catchall. A most important summary history appears here. It is called" American Mihtary History. Marulce Matloff, General Editor. 1969. 701 p. Reprinted and partially revised 1973. D114.2:M59. An earher edition prepared by Army historians during the 1950's for use m the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program was called American Mihtary History, 1607-1958. In preparing the work the contributors used as a point of departure the earlier ROTC text, but m this volume half of the chapters are new or completely rewritten and the remainder have been extensively revised. This work is also primarily for use in the American Military History course usually g4ven in the sophomore year of the ROTC program in civilian colleges and unlverslUes. According to the Preface "the aim has been to present a balanced history of the Army from its beginnings through the year 1967, with appropriate attention to peacetime as well as wartime achievements." I feel it important to quote the second paragraph of the Preface in full: In describing military operatmns through the Cwil War the contributors have pointed out, more than m later chapters, the application (or violation) of the prmicples of war that are discussed m the introductory chapter. In the interest of getting on w~th the narrative, they have necessarily omitted many other illustrations that wall undoubtedly occur to the throughtful reader. The

Selected Government Pubhcatmns

413

century since the Civil War receives greater attention in this text than in its predecessor, both through chronological extensmn and by the Inclusion of additional chapters on the post-Ciwl War period and World War I Inevitably the story from World War II onward has a broader perspective than the record of the Army's earlier experiences, since in recent decades the Army's history has become increasingly intermingled with that of the other armed services and with that of the higher echelons of government directing the national defense. In the Foreword, Hal C. Pattlson, Brigadier General, and Chief of Mlhtary History says, in part: "The list of contributors which follows indicates the multiple authorship of the volume . . . the authors have had . . . the benefit of considerable outside review by scholars not associated with this o f f i c e . . . In some instances they have corrected myths that have become 'facts' over the years - there were no minutemen present as the American Revolution erupted on Lexington Common at dawn on April 19, 1 7 7 5 . . . ; and the bulk of Korean War casualties were taken in the first year of fighting, not after the truce negotiations began." Like the titles m the other series, this book has maps, illustrations, and an index. A major change of this edition over the earlier one has been the inclusion of an excellent and valuable annotated general bibliographical essay followed by detailed chapter bibliographies. CLOUD THOU NEVER WERT BUT "A TRIDENT PALEWISE VERT"

Army Lineage Series. (o) D114.11 : The purpose of this Series is to gather in compact form (they say) the official hneage and honors of all major units of the active Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard m order to preserve and perpetuate their history and tradition. According to the Foreward of each volume In this Series it "is designed to foster the esplrlt de corps of United States Army Units, and within the Army it is intended for use at all levels of command, in service schools, and in training programs." Also useful to those Interested In American History, and especially to mdltary history buffs. Titles in this series include. Armor-Cavalry, Part I: Regular Army and Army Reserve. By Mary Lee Stubbs and Stanley Russell Connor. 1969. 477 p. D114.1 l:ArS/pt 1. Armor-Cavalry, Part II. Army National Guard By Mary Lee Stubbs and Stanley Russell Connor. 1972. 297 p. D l l 4 . 1 1 : A r 5 / p t 2. Both these volumes start with the same narrative history. The authors trace the evolution of Cavalry into today's Armor Branch. This is followed by the hneages, honors, coats of arms (In full color), and &stlnctlve msigma of the units mentioned in the respective titles. Infantry Part I: Regular Army. By John K Mahon and Romana Danysh. 1972. 938 p. D114.11 :In3]pt 1. "In all of the major wars of the Umted States from the American Revolution through the conflict In Southeast Asia the dominant combat arm of the United States Army has been the infantry. It was natural therefore in producing an Army Lineage Series to devote the first pubhshed volume to that arm. Appearing in 1953, the first Infantry lineage book has long been out of pnnt, and subsequent organizational developments have amply warranted a revised and enlarged edition and its pubhcation in more durable form." From the Foreword to Infantry. Infantry are those troops that fight on foot and that rely chiefly upon the small arms carried by individuals. This volume on infantry m the United

414

FREDERIC O'HARA States Army deals with the organization of foot umts at the level of regiments and below... In the first edition of this book, published m 1953, the narratwe ended with World War II and most of the lineages were carned only to the outbreak of the Korean War. Since that time several major reorgamzations and the adoption of CARS (Combat Arms Regimental System) have slgmficantly changed infantry orgamzatlon, while many infantry units have earned additional honors m Korea and V~etnam. In the present volume, the narratwe has been brought up to date through 31 December 1969 and the hneages through 31 December 1970. Only those Vietnam campaign participation credits that have been confirmed m Department of the Army General Orders are hsted, but all umt decoratxons reported up to the time the book went to the printer are included. The 1953 edition was prepared by Dr. Mahon, and his narrative from the American Revolution through World War II is reprinted m this volume with only minor changes. Miss Danysh wrote the narratwe from 1945 to the e n d . . . From the Preface.

The above noted 100 page "narrative" Is an important history of the organization of the Infantry. It xs followed by the lineage portion of the book as follows For each unit there is given a description m words and an illustration in color of the coat of arms. This written part includes a description of the Shield, e.g., for the 41st Infantry" "Azure within an annulet or a martello tower argent masoned sable," then of the Crest" "On a wreath of the colors a pair of wings conjoined m lure argent, the dexter charged with an estoile gules and the sinister with a hon rampant of the hke, a trident palewlse vert...," (sounds hke Gertrude Stein? or would you believe Lewis Carroll?); next the Motto' "Straight and Stalwart"; and last an explanation of the Symbolism - which helps! These excellent descriptions and the beautiful colored illustrations of the heraldxc 1terns were furmshed by the Institute of Heraldry, U.S. Army, where they ride to work on armored horses and trumpets blow at five o'clock at quitting txme! This is followed by a statement of the unit's Lineage; Campaign Participation Credit enumerating the battles in each war fought, e.g., Civil War -- Manassas, Antietam, etc.; then a list of Decorations, as "French Crolx de Guerre with Palm, World War I I . . . ", and finally a bibhography of Government and nongovernment publications on that level of command. With regard to the last named bibliographies, it is important to note that on page x of the Preface it says that "Miss Janice E. McKenney of OHB (Organizational History Branch) compded the umt bibliographies with the assistance of Mr. Charles E. Dornbusch's comprehensive bibliography enUtled Histories, Personal Narratives, United States A r m y (Cornwallvllle, New York. Hope Farm Press, 1967). Most of the umt histories cited are unofficial works that were prepared outside the Department of the Army. They are, nevertheless, valuable sources of additional reformation about the units." The Introduction to the colored illustrations of the heraldic items is so good that I'd like to quote the whole thing here. It appears on pages 123 and 124 under the heading: HERALDIC ITEMS Heraldic xtems for Army orgamzations reflect history, tradition, 1deals, and accomphshments. Coats of arms, historic badges, and distmctwe insignia have

Selected Government Publications

been so designed that each is distinctive to the organization for which approved. They serve as identifying devices, an inspiration, and an incentive for unity o f purpose. A coat o f arms or a historic badge and a distinctive insignia are authorized for each regiment. The designs o f these items are based on the lineages and battle honors o f the organizations. Whale the custom o f bearing various symbols on shields, helmets, and flags existed m antiquity, heraldry was not introduced until the Mtddle Ages. The use o f heraldic devices became more prevalent with the increased use o f armor and the requirements for mslgma to assist in distinguishing friend from foe on the battlefield. The symbols selected for use on these devices were commemorative of incidents o f valor, mythological beasts, and, later, other symbols to which specific symbolism was ascribed. These heraldic bearings were placed on a surcoat worn over the armor, from which the term coat o f arms was derived. Gradually a formal system o f heraldry evolved, complete with rules for design, use, and display. These rules or principles were for the purpose of facthtatlng designs that would be distinctive and easdy recogmzed. Present-day heraldic devices stem from this heraldic system which was estabhshed during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. A complete coat o f arms consists of a shield, a crest, and a motto. The shield, the most important portion o f the arms, contains the field or ground on which the charges are placed. The crest as originally used was placed upon the top o f the helmet o f the chief or leader to enable his followers to distinguish htm during battle. The crest is placed upon a wreath o f six skeins or twists composed o f the principal metal and principal color o f the shield, alternately, In the order named. This wreath (or torse) represents the piece o f cloth which the knight twisted around the top o f his helmet, and by means of which the actual crest was attached. Mottoes have been in use longer than coats o f arms, many o f the older ones having originated from war cries. They usually are of an idealistic nature and sometimes allude to a well-known event in the history o f the organlzat~on. Some orgamzations are authorized historic badges o f a symbolic c o m p o s m o n in heu o f coats o f arms. These badges are not shield-shaped, but they include mottoes. The elements of the coat of arms or the badge, as apphcable, are embroidered on the orgamzational flag - the central element of which is the American eagle. The stueld of the coat of arms is on the eagle's breast, a scroll bearing the m o t t o is held m his beak; and the crest is placed above his head. On flags o f those organizations which have historic badges in lieu o f coats o f arms, the badge is placed above the eagle's head and the scroll bearing the m o t t o ~s m his beak. Distractive insignia, manufactured in metal and enamel and worn on the uniform by all personnel o f the regiment, usually are based on elements of the design of the coat o f arms or h~stonc badge. Thus the organizational flag (color) and the distinctive insignia include the same design elements. Heraldic 1terns today, as in the past, serve to distinguish specific orgamzatlons and their members.

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FREDERIC O'HARA

A tentatwe list of future volumes mcludes"

Air Defense Artillery Armies and Corps Armor-Cavalry, Part II: Army National Guard Aviation Divisions and Separate Brigades Engineers Field Artdlery Infantry, Part H Army Reserve and Army National Guard Medical Service and Support Orgamzations Signal and Military Police A DOLLOP OF DECISIONS INCLUDING THE ONE WHERE HARRY DECIDES TO USE OUR DANDY LITTLE ATOMIC BOMB, AND, NORTH TO THE YALU WITH DOUGLAS MacA

General Publications. D114.2 Here we find miscellaneous titles such as. Command Decisions. Edited by Kent Roberts Greenfield. 1960. 565 p. D 114.2:D35. Twenty-three command deoslons of World War II, written by office of the Chief of Mihtary History (OCMH) historians, have been brought together m one volume. Twelve decisions were made by chiefs of state - United States, Alhed, enemy; two were by the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff; one was by Chief of Staff General Marshall, five were by theater commanders; one was by an army group commander; one was by an army commander, and one was by a corps commander. Included here are: Japan's Decision for War, the Decision to Evacuate the Japanese from the Pacific Coast (but not the Germans and Italians from the East Coast), and the Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb. Includes a Chronology, list of code names, basic mdltary map symbols, maps, and index. This is a very popular Utle. Under the above series of General Pubhcations we find a subserles' UNITED STATES ARMY IN THE KOREAN WAR There are five volumes m this subserles. All contain tables, maps, photos, glossary, bibliography, notes, and indexes. For instance: South to the Naktong, North to the Yalu. By Roy E. Appleman. 1961. 813 p. D114.2:K84/2/v.1. A detailed account of the first five months of the Korean War, the work vividly describes the disheartening days of setback and withdrawal to the Pusan perimeter, MacArthur's landing at Inch'on and drive northward that crushed the North Koreans, and the ominous stiffening of enemy resistance as the Umted Nations forces neared the Yalu River and the Manchurian border.