The Truth is Out There: Declassified Government Documents

1
The Truth is Out ThereDeclassified Government
Documents

• Special Agents
• John Hernandez Cathy Michael

2
What are Declassified Docs?

• Materials formerly classified to restrict access
  by the general public that are officially made
  available for public consumption
• Consist of correspondences, field reports,
  manuals, agency records, commissioned research,
  etc.
• Examples include
• FBI File on Abbie Hoffman
• Confidential State Dept. Central Files
• Nazi War Crimes Records

3
More on Declassified Docs

• What you see is what you get
• Not all of a document is made available, sections
  may often be blacked-out or sanitized
• Released does not mean distributed
• Will not become part of the depository collection
• Often must rely on commercial or altruistic
  avenues
• Image quality of the documents may sometimes be
  quite poor

4
Declassified vs. Leaked

• Declassified documents are officially released to
  the public after a formal review process
• Leaked documents have been unofficially often
  illegally released
• Taguba Report

5
Security Classification

• 3 levels of sensitivity
• Top Secret
• Secret
• Confidential
• Available only to those with appropriate
  clearance need to know
• Executive orders typically used to implement
  make changes

6
Classification Timeline (pt.1)
1912
1940
1942
1947
First security classification system is created
by the military
FDR issues first presidential directive E.O. 8381
Office of Strategic Services created
National Security Act creates the National
Security Council CIA
World War I 1914-1918
World War II 1939-1945
7
Classification Timeline (pt.2)
1950
1951
1953
1952
Truman issues E.O. 10104 to harmonize
classification with allies
E.O. 10290 allows classification in interest of
national security
Eisenhower issues E.O. 10501 limiting to 3 levels
of sensitivity
National Security Agency founded
Korean War 1950-1953
8
Classification Timeline (pt.3)
1966
1972
1982
Freedom of Information Act enacted
Nixon issues E.O. 11652 calling for mandatory
review of classified material
Reagan issues E.O. 12356 expanding categories of
classifiable info, mandating that info be
classified, making reclassification possible
eliminating automatic declassification
Vietnam War 1955-1975
9
Classification Timeline (pt.4)
1995
Clinton issues E.O. 12958 requiring automatic
declassification of most classified docs 25 years
old or more new docs after 10 years
Fall of Soviet Union, End of Cold War
Democratization in Eastern Europe 1990s
10
Freedom of Information Act

• 5 U.S.C. 552 enacted in 1966 amended several
  times in 1974, 76, 86 96
• Establishes a right to know about activities of
  executive branch
• Provides any person with access to identifiable,
  existing records of departments and agencies
  without having to demonstrate need or reason
• 9 exemptions permit access restrictions
• Classified for national defense or foreign policy
  purposes
• Disputes over availability of agency records may
  be settled in court

11
FOIA (contd)

• 3 basic steps to FOIA request
• Requester identifies agency that may have records
• Reasonably identifies the records sought
• Sends letter in envelope marked FOIA Request
  with phone number
• Agencies may charge fees for searching,
  duplication, and review
• OMB DoJ coordinate FOIA policy within the
  executive branch

12
E-FOIA

• FOIA Amended in 1996
• FOIA applies to electronic records
• Material must be provided in format requested
• Creation of electronic reading rooms so public
  can access important high visibility documents
  online

13
Presidential Records

• Prez VP records out of scope of FOIA
• When incumbent leaves office, records are removed
  held by NARA for review processing
• Former prez may limit access for up to 12 years
  after leaving office (44 U.S.C. 2204)

14
Presidential Records (contd)

• Reagan issued E.O. 12677 in 1989
• Requires Archivist to notify incumbent former
  prez of intention to release in order to provide
  an opportunity to review
• Prez may exert a claim of executive privilege
  prohibiting disclosure
• G.W. Bush issued E.O. 13223 in 2001 further
  expanding privilege
• Anyone seeking prez or vp records must establish
  a demonstrated, specific need for those records

15
Post-September 11

• Removal of materials from agency websites
  depository libraries
• Critical Infrastructure Information
• Introduced new categories of classifiable
  information
• Private-sector info can be classified

16
2 Typical Research Paths

• Known item
• Student has a reference (often vague) to a
  potentially declassified document
• Discovery
• Student wants to investigate a specific event,
  history of international relations, or foreign
  policy issue

17
Foreign Relations of the U.S.

• Declassified foreign policy-related documents
  compiled by the Office of the Historian, State
  Dept.
• Published since 1861, arranged by presidential
  administration, then themes
• Generally published with lag of about 30 years or
  so
• PUL owns run, lacking some volumes
• Some volumes available online via State Dept. U
  of Wisconsin

18
Declassified Documents Reference System

• Created in response to mass of docs released
  after E.O. 11652 (1972)
• Originally published by Carrollton Press 1975 as
  Declassified Documents Quarterly Catalog
• Retrospective Collection published 1976-77
• Research Publications took over 1982 (now Primary
  Source Media)
• Accompanied by microfiche, held in SSRC
• Print index ceased 1997, full-text searching
  document images online 1982-

19
Content of DDRS

• Date coverage spans post-WWII into 2000s
• Bulk of docs come from State Dept., DoD CIA,
  with additional agencies
• Consist of telegrams, correspondence, unevaluated
  field reports, background studies, cabinet-level
  meeting minutes, situation reports national
  intelligence estimates

20
Content of DDRS (contd)

• Exceptions include docs automatically
  declassified in bulk after expiration of 30 year
  rule, docs already given wide public
  dissemination, docs of marginal interest
• Entries provide title or summary line, source
  agency, type of document, pagination, publication
  date, security classification, sanitized copy
  status, declassification date

21
DDRS Caveats

• Fiche arrangement varies by publisher, so can be
  very confusing
• To be comprehensive, you need to look in print
  index (pre-1982) as well as online
• Image quality for both fiche and online will vary
  greatly by document
• Although print index ceased, fiche is still being
  issued for now
• Redundant correspondence to online index is
  tricky

22
National Security Archive

• Project at George Washington University, founded
  in 1985
• 20 thematic collections of documents obtained
  via FOIA requests
• Online index by Chadwyck-Healy
• Electronic briefing books via website

23
NARA Microfilm Sets

• 2 main distributors
• Scholarly Resources
• University Publications of America
• PUL owns several sets, use keyword search in
  catalog limit by format
• Most sets accompanied by a print finding aid
• Good source for State Dept. files on specific
  countries by time period

24
Research Tips

• Warn students they will have to use several tools
  for this task
• Gather as much info as possible about the topic
  or event
• Be especially aware of time period (i.e. more or
  less than 30 years ago?)
• Start with the usual suspects
• FRUS, DDRS (print online), NSA collections

25
Research Tips (contd)

• Dont forget NARA microfilms!
• Especially if looking at specific countries
• Consult the print finding aids
• Careful catalog searches can yield gems
• Use sources sub-heading in subject
• Student may need to resort to FOIA or field trip
  to an agency or NARA
• Refer them to John or Elizabeth for help

26
Thanks for Your Attention!

• You cant handle the truth!
• -Jack Nicholson
• in A Few Good Men