Research Guides: International Affairs: Confidential U.S. State Department Central Files

Confidential U.S. State Department Central Files

Confidential US State Department Central Files

These are microfilm copies of the U.S. Department of State’s "Central Files," made up of instructions and correspondence received from and sent to U.S. diplomatic posts abroad. The files are organized by the Department of State’s decimal subject classification system, and are therefore also referred to as the Decimal Files. They now make up record group 59 in the U.S. National Archives. They provide significant information on political, military, social, and economic developments for many countries and include minutes, interviews, letters, and translations of foreign documents.

There are several different types of confidential files, so they have been organized and listed as follows:

Each file/film is listed alphabetically by country and then chronologically by year. Internal Affairs are listed first, Foreign affairs are listed second and political relations are listed third (1^st relations with “other states” 2^nd relations with the U.S.). United Nations Activities or Confidential U.S. Diplomatic Post Records follow. Thus Files on Cuban Internal Affairs from 1945 to 1949 precede files on Cuban Foreign Affairs from 1945-1949.

Although FSU has many of the print guides to these microfilm collections (which are listed in the last column), many can also be found online.

Another helpful resource that can be used as a guide is:

United States, and John H. Hedges. 1986. Diplomatic records: a select catalog of National Archives microfilm publications. Washington, DC: National Archives Trust Fund Board, National Archives and Records Administration. This is found in Strozier Library in the Federal Government Documents Collection (in the Scholars Commons): Call Number AE1.110: D62R

It is also available online through the Hathi Trust

Country	Years	Type of Documentation (Internal Affairs, Foreign Affairs, UN Affairs)	Decimal Numbers/Notes	Film/Reel	Guide
Austria-Hungary and Hungary	1912-29	Internal Affairs	Political affairs, the Bolshevik revolutionary movement, and financial conditions in Hungary	Film 9173	Micr Z2148 .A5 G84 1987 See also related pamphlet: Micr AE1.119: M708
China	1910-1929	Internal Affairs		Film 2118
China	1910-29	Political Relations with other states		Film 2120
China	1910-1929	Political Relations with the United States		Film 2119	Micr AE1.119: M339
Cuba	1945- 1949	Internal Affairs	Decimal number 837	Film 9256	Micr F 1787.5 Y34 1986.
Cuba	1945- 1949	Foreign Affairs	decimal numbers 737 and 711.37	Film 9256	Micr F 1787.5 Y34 1986.
Cuba	1950-1954	Internal Affairs	decimal numbers 737, 837, and 937	Film 9222	Micr F 1787.5 Y342 1986
Cuba	1950-1954	Foreign Affairs	decimal numbers 637 and 611.37	Film 9222	Micr F 1787.5 Y342 1986
Cuba	1955-1959	Internal Affairs	decimal numbers 737, 837, and 937	Film 8931	Micr F1787.5 .H93 1987
Cuba	1955-1959	Foreign Affairs	decimal numbers 637 and 611.37	Film 8931	Micr F1787.5 .H93 1987
Cuba	1960-January 1963	Internal Affairs	decimal numbers 737, 837, and 937	Film 9693	F1788 .C654 2003
Cuba	1960-January 1963	Foreign Affairs	decimal numbers 637 and 611.37	Film 9694	Micr F1787.5 .C654 2004
Czechoslovakia	1910-1944	Internal Affairs	Decimal number 860f	Film 9223	Micr DB215.2G85 1987
El Salvador	1945-1949	Internal Affairs	Decimal number 816	Film 9151	Micr Z1491 .C62
El Salvador	1945-1949	Foreign Affairs	decimal numbers 716 and 711.16	Film 9151	Micr Z1491 .C62
El Salvador	1950-1954	Internal Affairs	decimal numbers 716, 816, and 916	Film 9146	Micr Z 1491 C63
El Salvador	1950-1954	Foreign Affairs	decimal numbers 616 and 611.16	Film 9146	Micr Z 1491 C63
El Salvador	1955-1959	Internal Affairs	Decimal numbers 716, 816, and 916	Film 8941	Micr F1488 .H97 1987
El Salvador	1955-1959	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 616 and 611.16	Film 8941	Micr F1488 .H97 1987
Ethiopia (Abyssinia)	1910-1929	Internal Affairs		Film 8733
Ethiopia (Abyssinia)	1910-1929	Political Relations with the United States		Film 8731
France	1910-1929	Internal Affairs		Film 2129
France	1910-1929	Political Relations with other states		Film 2121
France	1910-1929	Political Relations with the United States		Film 2122
France	1945- 1949	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 751 and 711.51	Film 9154	Micr DC 404 G823 1986
France	1950- 1954	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 651 and 611.51	Film 9228	Micr DC404 .G825 1987
Germany	1910-1929	Internal Affairs		Film 2127	Micr AE1.119: M336
Germany	1910-1929	Political Relations with other states		Film 2126	Micr AE1.119: M354
Germany	1910-1929	Political Relations with the United States		Film 2124
Germany	1930-1939	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 762 and 711.62	Film 9118	Micr DD 234 C65 1985
Germany	1940-1944	Foreign Affairs		Film 9132	Micr DD234 G85 1985
Germany – Federal Republic of Germany	1950-1954	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 662A and 611.62A	Film 9058	Micr Z2220 .G732
Great Britain	1910-1929	Internal Affairs		Film 3391	Micr AE1.119: M580
Great Britain	1910-1929	Political Relations with other states		Film 8735
Great Britain	1910-1929	Political Relations with the United States		Film 3392	Micr AE1.119: M581
Great Britain	1930-1939	Internal Affairs	Decimal Number 841	Film 9612
Great Britain	1930-1939	Political Relations with the United States		Film 9490
Great Britain	1940-1944	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 741 and 711.41	Film 9135	Micr DA587 .H93 1985
Great Britain	1945-1949	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 741 and 711.41	Film 9134	Micr DA588 C543 1987
Hungary	1930-1944	Internal Affairs	Decimal number 864	Film 9120	Micr Z 2148.A5 G84 198
Indochina	1945-1949	Internal Affairs		Film 9282	Micr DS550.C6 1985
Indochina	1950-1954	Internal Affairs		Film 9254	Micr DS546 .C46 1985
Indochina	1955-1959	Internal Affairs	Decimal numbers 751G, 751H, and 751J; 851G, 851H, and 851J; and 951G, 951H, and 951J	Film 9313	Micr DS 550 G84 1989
Indochina	1955-1959	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 651G, 651H, and 651J; and 611.51G, 611.51H, and 611.51J	Film 9313	Micr DS 550 G84 1989
Italy	1940-1944	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 765 and 711.65	Film 9109	Micr DG568.5 C6 1987
Italy	1945-1949	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 765-711.65	Film 9110	Micr DG572 G85 1987
Italy	1950-1954	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 665 and 611.65	Film 9190	Micr DG 477.5 .G852
Japan	1910-1929	Internal Affairs		Film 2143	Micr AE1.119: M422
Japan	1910-1929	Political Relations with other states		Film 2145	Micr AE1.119: M424
Japan	1910-1929	Political Relations with the United States		Film 2144	Micr AE1.119: M423
Mexico	1910-1929	Internal Affairs		Film 1045	Micr AE1.119: M274
Mexico	1910-1929	Political Relations with other states		Film 9301	Micr AE1.119: M315
Mexico	1910-1929	Political Relations with the United States		Film 865	Micr AE1.119: M314
Mexico	1930-1939	Internal Affairs	Decimal Number 812	Film 9163
Mexico	1940- 1944	Internal Affairs		Film 9258/ Reels 1-43 (pt. 1: Political, governmental, and national defense affairs); Reels 1-67 (pt. 2: Social, economic, industrial, communications, transportation, and science)	Micr F1234 H92 1986
Mexico	1945-1949	Internal Affairs		Film 9259/ Reels 1-17a (pt. 1: Political, governmental, and national defense affairs); Reels 1-35b (pt. 2: Social, economic, industrial, communications, transportation, and science)	Micr F1234 .C762 1987
Mexico	1950-1954	Internal Affairs	Decimal numbers 712, 812, and 912	Film 9177	Micr F1235.Y36 1986
Mexico	1950-1954	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 612 and 611.12	Film 9280	Micr F1235 .Y359 1986
Mexico	1955-1959	Internal Affairs	Decimal numbers 712, 812, and 912	Film 9221	Micr F1235 .C764
Mexico	1955-1959	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 612 and 611.12	Film 9145	Micr F1235 C644 1987
Nicaragua	1945-1949	Internal Affairs	Decimal number 817	Film 9138	Micr Z1481 G74 1986
Nicaragua	1945-1949	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 717 and 711.17	Film 9138	Micr Z1481 G74 1986
Nicaragua	1950-1954	Internal Affairs	Decimal numbers 717, 817, and 917	Film 9139	Micr Z1481 G741 1986
Nicaragua	1950-1954	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 617 and 611.17	Film 9139	Micr Z1481 G741 1986
Nicaragua	1955-1959	Internal Affairs	Decimal numbers 717, 817, and 917	Film 8934	Micr F1527.H97 1987
Nicaragua	1955-1959	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 617 and 611.17	Film 8934	Micr F1527.H97 1987
Palestine	1945-1949	United Nations Activities	Decimal numbers 501.BB Palestine and 501	Film 8936	Micr DS126.4.D62 1987
Poland	1916-1944	Internal Affairs	Decimal Number 860c	Film 9220	Micr DK4397 .G85 1987
Poland	1945-1949	Internal Affairs	Decimal number 860C	Film 9130	Micr DK4429 .H95 1986
Poland	1945-1949	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 760C and 711.60C	Film 9130	Micr DK4429 .H95 1986
Poland	1950-1954	Internal Affairs	Decimal numbers 748, 848, and 948	Film 9129	Micr DK4429.C651 1986
Poland	1950-1954	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 648 and 611.48	Film 9129	Micr DK4429.C651 1986
Romania	1910-1944	Internal Affairs	Decimal number 871	Film 9159
Russia and the Soviet Union	1910-1929	Internal Affairs		Film 2130	Micr AE1.119: M316
Russia and the Soviet Union	1910-1929	Political Relations with other states		Film 2128	Micr AE1.119: M340
Russia and the Soviet Union	1910-1929	Political Relations with the United States		Film 2125	Micr AE1.119: M333
Russia and the Soviet Union		Confidential U.S. diplomatic post records		Film 9169	Micr DK266.5 .C66
The Soviet Union	1930-1939	Internal Affairs	decimal 861	Film 9317
The Soviet Union	1930-1939	Political Relations with the United States		Film 9263
The Soviet Union	1940-1945	Internal Affairs	Decimal number 861	Film 9285
The Soviet Union	1940-1944	Political Relations with the United States		Film 8972
The Soviet Union	1945-1949	Internal Affairs		Film 8540	Micr DK 267 L419
The Soviet Union	1945-1949	Foreign Affairs		Film 8541	Micr DK 267 L419
The Soviet Union	1950-1954	Internal Affairs		Film 9211	Micr DK 266 A3 G83
The Soviet Union	1950-1954	Foreign Affairs		Film 9211	Micr DK 266 A3 G83
The Soviet Union	1955-1959	Internal Affairs	Decimal numbers 761, 861, and 961	Film 9233	Micr DK274.G75 1989
The Soviet Union	1955-1959	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 661 and 611.61	Film 9283	Micr DK266.C622 1989
Spain	1930-1939	Foreign Affairs	Decimal numbers 752 and 711.52	Film 9105	Micr DP 257 H92 1986
Turkey	1910-1929	Political Relations with the United States		Film 9761	Micr AE1.119: M365 [index]
Turkey	1930-1944	Internal Affairs	Decimal Number 867	Film 9762	Online: http://dds.crl.edu/loadStream.asp?iid=46983
Turkey, Greece, and the Balkan States	1930-1939	Political Relations	Decimal Numbers 767-771	Film 9763	Online: http://dds.crl.edu/loadStream.asp?iid=46977
Turkey, Greece, and the Balkan States	1940-1944	Political Relations	Decimal Numbers 767-771	Film 9765	Online: http://dds.crl.edu/loadStream.asp?iid=46979
Turkey and the U.S.	1910-1929	Political Relations Between		Film 9766,	Online: http://dds.crl.edu/loadStream.asp?iid=41850
Turkey and the U.S.	1930-1944	Political Relations Between		Film 9767
Turkey and the U.S.	1945-1949	Political Relations Between	Decimal Number 867	Film 9768	Online: http://dds.crl.edu/loadStream.asp?iid=46985
Ukraine	1918-1949	Internal Affairs	Decimal number 860E	Film 9229
Yugoslavia	1910-1929	Internal Affairs		Film 8851
Yugoslavia	1930-1944	Internal Affairs		Film 8850