American History Documents

America - still a young country by world standards - began as an experiment in self-government. This collection includes stories of America's people as they follow a path of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

"A Policy for Viet-Nam" - dated September 10, 1963 - is part of the "Pentagon Papers."  It concludes that the "war [in Vietnam, between North ...

This is page 3 of the September 11, 1963 memo which concludes that South Vietnam cannot win a war against North Vietnam without American assistance.&n...

Part of the "Pentagon Papers," this September 11, 1963 document concludes that South Vietnam could not win a war against North Vietnam without America...

In 1962, the Joint Chiefs of Staff considered whether America should launch a military invasion of Cuba. This image depicts a top-secret, now-declassi...

This image depicts the second page of a formerly top-secret, now-declassified draft document which considers the reasons why America would be justifie...

  The U.S. federal government considered a "body of secrets" which could justify an American military invasion of Cuba. Those items, set forth i...

  The U.S. federal government considered implementing various terrorist activities to justify an American military invasion of Cuba. The top-sec...

On the 5th of October, 1963, McGeorge Bundy - a special adviser to President Kennedy - wrote an "Eyes Only" memo to Ambassador Lodge (who was serving ...

As the Kennedy Administration continued to monitor the situation in Vietnam - where North and South were fighting against each other - "military indic...

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