Brief Summary of the Smithsonian Institution's Part in World War II

Summary

Describes the Smithsonian's involvement in the war effort including the appointment of a War Committee and its duties in promoting the strengths of the Institution; technical assistance provided to the Army, Navy, and other war agencies; construction of a geographic and related specialized knowledge staff roster; formation of the Ethnogeographic Board to bring together resources of regionalized and specialized knowledge; war research work; Inter-American activities promoting good will; wartime publications; and the use of Smithsonian library resources in undertaking this work. Special museum services offered to the general public and military personnel are also outlined.

Subject

• Ethnogeographic Board
• Smithsonian War Committee
• Smithsonian Institution Libraries (SIL)
• Smithsonian Library

Category

Smithsonian Institution History Bibliography

Notes

"Prepared by a committee appointed by the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Dr. Alexander Wetmore, consisting of Carl W. Mitman, Head Curator of Engineering, U. S. National Museum, and Webster P. True, Chief of the Editorial Division, Smithsonian Institution, in accordance with the request of the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt, through the Bureau of the Budget, that all agencies prepare an objective statement of their participation in the war effort."

Contained within

Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution for 1945 (Book)

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

1946

Topic

• Public programs
• War Committee
• Public relations
• World War, 1939-1945
• Wartime Activities
• Smithsonian publications

Physical description

pp. 459-472

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