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Subseries 2, Allied Military Government, 1940-1947

3 boxes
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Collection Creator:
Morse, David A. (David Abner) (1907-1990)
Dates:
1940-1947
Extent:
3 boxes
Languages:
English
Scope and Contents

Series 2: Subject Files, Subseries 2: Allied Military Government (1940-1947) documents Morse's military career during the Second World War in considerable detail. The material in this subseries includes general army records as well as records specifically related to Morse's tenure as head of the Labor Division of the Allied Military Government of Occupied Territory in Sicily and Italy and head of the Manpower Division of the United States Group Control Council for Germany. Material concerning Japan is also present in the form of the final report of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers' Advisory Committee on Labor, entitled "Labor Policies and Programs in Japan." A revealing account of Morse's wartime experiences, particularly with regards to Sicily and Italy, can be found in a journal recording his activities in various places, including North Africa, Sicily and Italy, England, France, Germany, and Austria. A haunting memento of his military career, which brought him face to face with Hitler's liberated concentration camps, is a yellow Star of David bearing the French word, "Juif."

Morse's general army records span the period from his request for an interview with the United States Army in March 1942 (subsequently he was accepted as a first lieutenant), to his receipt of the Legion of Merit in June 1946, nine months after his voluntary discharge. This material also includes selective service cards from 1940 and 1941 and the somewhat belated transmittal letter which accompanied his commission as lieutenant colonel in 1947. The general army records are mainly composed of "extracts," that is, orders and station assignments given to officers. Information issued to officers briefing them on certain codes of conduct, such as confidentiality, and detailing military activities, such as the Allied Military Government of Occupied Territory manual on "plan, proclamations and instructions" are present as well. The last folder in the general army records sequence also contains documents relating to Morse's promotion to lieutenant colonel, his receipt of the Legion of Merit for his conspicuous services, and original copies of the May 8, 1945 editions of the New York Herald Tribune and The Stars and Stripes celebrating the surrender of Germany and the end of the war in Europe. Material relating to Morse's German involvements consists mainly of reports on labor such as "Tentative Labor Plan for Germany" and "Annex XVIII (Manpower) of Basic Preliminary Plan Allied Control and Occupation of Germany (Control Council Period)." Material relating to Morse's work in Sicily and Italy is much more diverse and plentiful. It includes general orders and extracts, minutes, background documentation on Sicily and Italy's labor situations, newspaper clippings, and reports concerning various labor-related issues. The drafts of Morse's labor policy, which dealt with the abolition of the fascist labor system and the establishment free trade unions and labor offices, illustrate the evolution of civil reconstruction amid conditions which were at best unstable.

Existence and Location of Copies

Portions of the Morse Papers are available on microfilm. These are Series 1 (Subseries 1), Series 2 (Subseries 1 to 5), and Series 3. Search for "Selections from the David A. Morse papers [microform]" in library catalog.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Credit this material:

Subseries 2, Allied Military Government; David A. Morse Papers, MC097, Public Policy Papers, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Storage Note:
  • Mudd Manuscript Library (mudd): Box 66-68
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Processing Information

This collection was arranged and described by John S. Weeren with the able assistance of Fifi Chan and Tina Wang in 1995. Mildred Morse provided invaluable help in identifying photographs and contextualizing portions of this material. Additions received since 1995 were integrated into the collection by Adriane Hanson in 2008. Finding aid written by John S. Weeren in 1995. A subsequent accession in March 2011 was added to the collection as its own series, and the finding aid was updated at this time.

Collection Overview

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

Series 2: Subject Files, Subseries 2: Allied Military Government (1940-1947) documents Morse's military career during the Second World War in considerable detail. The material in this subseries includes general army records as well as records specifically related to Morse's tenure as head of the Labor Division of the Allied Military Government of Occupied Territory in Sicily and Italy and head of the Manpower Division of the United States Group Control Council for Germany. Material concerning Japan is also present in the form of the final report of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers' Advisory Committee on Labor, entitled "Labor Policies and Programs in Japan." A revealing account of Morse's wartime experiences, particularly with regards to Sicily and Italy, can be found in a journal recording his activities in various places, including North Africa, Sicily and Italy, England, France, Germany, and Austria. A haunting memento of his military career, which brought him face to face with Hitler's liberated concentration camps, is a yellow Star of David bearing the French word, "Juif."

Morse's general army records span the period from his request for an interview with the United States Army in March 1942 (subsequently he was accepted as a first lieutenant), to his receipt of the Legion of Merit in June 1946, nine months after his voluntary discharge. This material also includes selective service cards from 1940 and 1941 and the somewhat belated transmittal letter which accompanied his commission as lieutenant colonel in 1947. The general army records are mainly composed of "extracts," that is, orders and station assignments given to officers. Information issued to officers briefing them on certain codes of conduct, such as confidentiality, and detailing military activities, such as the Allied Military Government of Occupied Territory manual on "plan, proclamations and instructions" are present as well. The last folder in the general army records sequence also contains documents relating to Morse's promotion to lieutenant colonel, his receipt of the Legion of Merit for his conspicuous services, and original copies of the May 8, 1945 editions of the New York Herald Tribune and The Stars and Stripes celebrating the surrender of Germany and the end of the war in Europe. Material relating to Morse's German involvements consists mainly of reports on labor such as "Tentative Labor Plan for Germany" and "Annex XVIII (Manpower) of Basic Preliminary Plan Allied Control and Occupation of Germany (Control Council Period)." Material relating to Morse's work in Sicily and Italy is much more diverse and plentiful. It includes general orders and extracts, minutes, background documentation on Sicily and Italy's labor situations, newspaper clippings, and reports concerning various labor-related issues. The drafts of Morse's labor policy, which dealt with the abolition of the fascist labor system and the establishment free trade unions and labor offices, illustrate the evolution of civil reconstruction amid conditions which were at best unstable.

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by correspondent or topic.

Collection History

Appraisal

Duplicates were separated from the April 2008 accession. No information about appraisal is available for the other accessions associated with this collection.

Sponsorship:

These papers were processed with the generous support of Mildred H. Morse, wife of the late David A. Morse, and the John Foster and Janet Avery Dulles Fund.

Processing Information

This collection was arranged and described by John S. Weeren with the able assistance of Fifi Chan and Tina Wang in 1995. Mildred Morse provided invaluable help in identifying photographs and contextualizing portions of this material. Additions received since 1995 were integrated into the collection by Adriane Hanson in 2008. Finding aid written by John S. Weeren in 1995. A subsequent accession in March 2011 was added to the collection as its own series, and the finding aid was updated at this time.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

Subseries 2, Allied Military Government; David A. Morse Papers, MC097, Public Policy Papers, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Location:
Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library
65 Olden Street
Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
(609) 258-6345
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Storage Note:
  • Mudd Manuscript Library (mudd): Box 66-68