Analysing twentieth-century government reports

Author / Creator

Calver, Jasmine, author

Available as

Online

Summary

This case study will equip learners with knowledge of the practicalities of investigating government reports created in the twentieth century, with a focus on materials generated by the British gov...

This case study will equip learners with knowledge of the practicalities of investigating government reports created in the twentieth century, with a focus on materials generated by the British government after the Second World War. Reports of this kind were commissioned regularly throughout the twentieth century to inform governments about the situation in various countries and regions across the globe and as such are a useful tool for historians interested in studying the history of international relations and government policy. These types of sources tell us crucial information about political and military manoeuvres and the priorities of governments in various global contexts. Reports generally follow standardised formats and are straightforward to navigate, making them a useful source for historical research. Readers will learn to identify different types of reports, how to approach an analysis of such documents and what questions historians should ask of this document type to gain the fullest appreciation of the source. This case study will also teach learners to analyse official reports in the context of the documents surrounding them; many draft reports in archives are classified along with official notes and memoranda specifying points of contention, which can provide us with a deep understanding of contemporary international relations based on expert testimony.

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