Joseph Abraham Mendenhall Papers, 1927-2011
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http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt6779s10t No online items Register to the Joseph Abraham Mendenhall papers, 1927-2011 Finding aid prepared by Hoover Institution Library and Archives Staff Hoover Institution Library and Archives © 2011 434 Galvez Mall Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305-6003 [email protected] URL: http://www.hoover.org/library-and-archives Register to the Joseph Abraham 2011C52 1 Mendenhall papers, 1927-2011 Title: Joseph Abraham Mendenhall papers Date (inclusive): 1927-2011 Collection Number: 2011C52 Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives Language of Material: English Physical Description: 18 manuscript boxes(7.5 Linear Feet) Abstract: Correspondence, speeches and writings, printed matter, personal documents, and photographs relating to American foreign relations and to the Vietnam War. Creator: Mendenhall, Joseph Abraham, 1920- Hoover Institution Library & Archives Access The collection is open for research; materials must be requested at least two business days in advance of intended use. Publication Rights For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives. Acquisition Information Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2011. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Joseph Abraham Mendenhall papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives. 1920 Born, Calvert, Maryland 1940 B.A., University of Delaware 1941-1946 U.S. Army service, attained rank of captain 1946-1975 U.S. Foreign Service officer 1946-1949 Vice Consul, Istanbul, Turkey 1949-1951 Assistant Chief, Economic Cooperation Administration Mission to Iceland 1952-1955 Second Secretary of Embassy, Switzerland 1955-1959 Department of State Bureau of Southeast Asian Affairs officer, Washington, D.C. 1959-1962 Counselor of Embassy, South Vietnam 1962-1963 U.S. National War College student 1963-1964 Director, Department of State Vietnam Working Group, Washington, D.C. 1964-1965 Director, Department of State Office of Far Eastern Regional Affairs, Washington, D.C. 1965-1968 Director, U.S. Agency for International Development Mission to Laos 1968-1970 Deputy and acting Assistant Administrator for Vietnam, U.S. Agency for International Development, Washington, D.C. 1970-1972 U.S. Foreign Service inspector 1972-1975 Ambassador to Madagascar 1975 Retired and took up residence in Italy 1992 Returned to the United States Scope and Content of Collection Joseph A. Mendenhall's career as a U.S. Foreign Service officer was highlighted by specialization in Southeast Asian affairs during the Vietnam War era. Both on the ground in Vietnam (1959-1962) and Laos (1965-1968) and in senior Department of State positions in Washington, D.C., including that of Director of the Department's Office of Far Eastern Regional Affairs, he was intimately involved in the formulation and execution of American foreign policy in the area. The U.S. Foreign Service File in his papers presents only a partial record of his government service, as most of the official documents that passed through his hands remain in possession of the United States government. However, the file does include the texts and outline notes of many speeches at public functions and of presentations at many internal staff meetings and in-house Department of State conferences and briefing sessions. These afford an inside view of foreign policy formation. After his retirement in 1975, Mendenhall devoted much thought to retrospective analysis of the Vietnam War, a war that he continued to believe could and should have been won. He also maintained a lively interest in new issues in American foreign policy. His views on these matters are expressed in letters in the Retirement Formal Correspondence file and in writings, published and unpublished, in the Retirement Speeches and Writings file. Register to the Joseph Abraham 2011C52 2 Mendenhall papers, 1927-2011 A Personal Correspondence file accounts for a large portion of the collection. This consists of informal correspondence with family and friends over the whole of Mendenhall's life, and also includes the correspondence of his wife Leone. Many letters are from the Mendenhalls to their respective parents. This series is noteworthy for its unusually complete and detailed description of the life of a Foreign Service family frequently stationed abroad. It also reflects subjective reactions to local and world events. Chronological arrangement facilitates correlation with Mendenhall's various career postings. Ambassador Mendenhall donated his papers to the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2011. Subjects and Indexing Terms Vietnam War, 1961-1975 United States -- Foreign relations -- Laos Laos -- Foreign relations -- United States United States -- Foreign relations -- Vietnam Vietnam -- Foreign relations -- United States Diplomats -- United States United States -- Foreign relations -- Madagascar Madagascar -- Foreign relations -- United States United States. Department of State United States. Agency for International Development box 1 Early Life and Ancestry 1927-2010 Scope and Contents note Genealogical, school, and military service records. Genealogy box 1, folder 1 General 1994-2008 Scope and Contents note Mendenhall family history, with related charts, correspondence, and miscellany. box 1, folder 2 Mendenhall Family Association newsletters 1996-2010 Education box 1, folder 3 Elementary and high school report cards and memorabilia 1927-1936 box 1, folder 4 University of Delaware 1937-1940 Scope and Contents note Correspondence, campus newspaper issues, and university history. box 1, folder 5 Law school and graduate school application correspondence 1940-1946 box 1, folder 6 Military service 1941-1955 Scope and Contents note U.S. Army personnel file, War Department application correspondence, and Air Force Reserve discharge certificate. Register to the Joseph Abraham 2011C52 3 Mendenhall papers, 1927-2011 U.S. Foreign Service File 1945-1976 Official correspondence U.S. Foreign Service File 1945-1976 Scope and Contents note Personnel file, official correspondence, speeches and writings, memoranda, reports, and printed matter. box 1, folder 7 Department of State personnel file 1945-1975 Scope and Contents note Includes application materials and evaluation reports. Official correspondence box 1, folder 8 1945-1958 box 1, folder 9 1959-1962 Scope and Contents note Includes correspondence with Elbridge Durbrow. box 1, folder 10 1963-1964 Scope and Contents note Includes U.S. National War College correspondence. box 2, folder 1 1965-1968 Scope and Contents note Includes correspondence with Chester Bowles and William H. Sullivan and with Edward M. Kennedy and other members of Congress. box 2, folder 2 1969-1971 Scope and Contents note Includes correspondence with Edgar Buell, Ellsworth Bunker, William H. Sullivan, and members of Congress. box 2, folder 3 1972 Scope and Contents note Mainly letters of congratulation upon ambassadorial appointment. Includes correspondence with Ellsworth Bunker, Shelby Cullom Davis and William Rogers, and with J. Caleb Boggs and other members of Congress. box 2, folder 4 1973-1974 Scope and Contents note Includes correspondence with William H. Sullivan. box 2, folder 5 1975 Scope and Contents note Includes correspondence with Henry A. Kissinger and Eliot Richardson. Speeches and writings box 2, folder 6 Orientation talk on political background of Vietnam for newly arrived Americans in Vietnam, mimeograph 1962 March 30 Register to the Joseph Abraham 2011C52 4 Mendenhall papers, 1927-2011 U.S. Foreign Service File 1945-1976 Speeches and writings box 2, folder 7 "Viet-Nam: Land of Crisis," University News (University of Delaware publication), 1962 Summer Scope and Contents note Typescript, printed copy, and correspondence. box 2, folder 8 Department of State seminar on collective security in the Far East, presentation outline 1965 February 2 box 2, folder 9 Department of State briefing on foreign policy in the Far East, presentation outline 1965 April 16 box 2, folder 10 Counterintelligence seminar on Southeast Asia, presentation outline 1965 April 21 box 2, folder 11 Debate on Vietnam, Freedom Forum, Albion College, Albion, Michigan 1965 May 13 Scope and Contents note Presentation outline, correspondence, and press coverage. box 2, folder 12 Talk to Military Government Association on Vietnam, Portland, Oregon, presentation outline 1965 May 29 box 2, folder 13 Lecture on Communist challenge in Asia, Westminister College, Fulton, Missouri, presentation outline 1965 July 12 box 2, folder 14 Counterintelligence seminar on Vietnam, presentation outline 1965 August 13 box 2, folder 15 Statement to press upon appointment as U.S. Agency for International Development director in Laos, typescript 1965 September 8 box 2, folder 16 Talk to AID Laos Mission staff, presentation outline 1965 September 24 box 2, folder 17 Briefing on AID program for Senator Edward M. Kennedy, presentation outline 1965 October 27 box 2, folder 18 Talk on rural development program, presentation outline 1965 October 31 box 2, folder 19 General orientation talk on AID program, presentation outline and background data 1966 January 18 box 2, folder 20 Remarks at laying of cornerstone for medical warehouse, Vientiane, Laos, typescript 1966 May 12 box 2, folder 21 Talk to Laotian teachers participating in training program in Thailand, typescript and Lao translation 1966 June 7 box 2, folder 22 Talk to Rotary Club (Vientiane?) on U.S. aid to Laos,