Records of the Department of State Relating to Political Relations between the United States and Colombia, 1945-1959
The history of Colombia following the Second World War was most notably marked by La Violencia (The Violence), a ten-year civil war spanning the years 1948 to 1958, between the Colombian Conservative Party and the Colombian Liberal Party. Covering primarily the early Cold War documents, this collection gives researchers a unique insight into American foreign policy during one of its most stressful periods in international relations. After World War II, with only two superpowers vying for influence, access, and control, the United States looked to its state department to provide detailed analyses and insight into political affairs. As such these records are bound to be of great interest to diplomatic historians and historians studying these countries, seeking to understand American foreign affairs during this period. The documents found in these files are predominantly instructions to – and despatches from – diplomatic and consular officials and are often accompanied by enclosures. Notes between the Department of State and foreign diplomats in the United States, memoranda prepared by State Department officials, and correspondence with officials of other government departments, as well as with private businesses and persons, are also included.