This history database contains tens of thousands of U.K. government documents relating to Britain’s international relations, including foreign policy instructions, letters and memos, business reports, and more. These primary source materials have been selected by the official historians of Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and, in many cases, have been declassified at their request for inclusion in this series.

With Documents on British Policy Overseas, researchers gain a more complete understanding of the tensions, motivations, politics, and relationships that shaped Europe and the world throughout the twentieth century.

This easily searchable database is the online version of three print content sets:

  • British Documents on the Origins of War (1898-1914), which includes documents related to the Anglo-German tensions leading to World War I
  • Documents on British Foreign Policy (1918-1939), which addresses post-war settlement, re-armament, and growing tensions in Europe, Africa, and the Far East
  • Documents on British Policy Overseas (1946-present), which covers topics such as atomic energy, the Korean Conflict, and the Cold War

 

Documents on British Policy Overseas is updated regularly with newly selected materials on additional topics, and supports other ProQuest government resources, including 20th Century House of Commons Parliamentary Papers and Digital National Security Archive. Diplomatic historians, international relations scholars, British Studies specialists, war researchers, and educators in many disciplines will find this collection an indispensable resource.

Short Description

An Unprecedented Window into U.S. History

Unparalleled Access

Unparalleled Access

Provide consistent access to the largest collections of easily discoverable digitized government documents organized to facilitate use and understanding

Empower Researchers

Empower Researchers

Enable students and researchers to search and explore these essential resources to help build critical thinking, analytical and digital literacy skills

Interdisciplinary

Interdisciplinary

Explore and uncover the development and implementation of policy and law in relation to historical and on-going issues like immigration, health care, social justice, climate change and more

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