American History Resources on War and Conflict

The Cold War begun near the end of WWII and dominated US foreign relations throughout the second half of the 20th century. The Cold War finally came to an end in 1991 with the fall of the Soviet Union. During this time Americans were deployed to China, Korea, and Vietnam among other locations in attempts to prevent the spread of Communism or regimes backed by the USSR. It also brought elevated tensions to the Caribbean with the Cuban missile crisis. 

Other conflicts during the late 20th century involving American forces include the Persian Gulf War. Beyond this conflict, American troops continued to be deployed around the world in various conflict zones. This section will point you towards information held in Special Collections regarding this period.

Listed below are some recommended catalog key terms for searching for the Cold War or other late 20th century conflicts. Full steps on how to use these key terms can be found on this LibGuide's homepage.

Cold War
Soviet Union
USSR

Listed below are some recommended subject headings for searching for the Cold War or other late 20th century conflicts. Full steps on how to use these subject terms can be found on this LibGuide's homepage.

China -- Foreign relations -- United States
Cold War
Cold War -- Diplomatic history
Developing countries -- Foreign relations -- United States
Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969.
Intervention (International law) -- History -- 20th century
Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994
Persian Gulf War, 1991
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1945-1953
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1953-1961
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1969-1974
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1989-
United States -- Foreign relations -- China
United States -- Foreign relations -- Developing countries

A few of the collections held by LSU Libraries Special Collections are listed below. Additional collections may be found utilizing the subject headings listed in the sections above. 

Books and other published materials

Manuscript collections