Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Office headed by F. Clever Bald, and established to collect materials documenting activities of University of Michigan during World War II. Includes files documenting activities of the War Historian as well as various war related special programs including records of the Army Japanese Language School; files of Marvin Niehuss, the coordinator of Emergency Training at the university; records of the Civil Affairs Training School; and records of the University War Board.

The records of the University War Historian contain a wealth of information about the university's war effort during the Second World War. They include correspondence, reports and other material generated by the War Historian's office as well as records of special war related programs and projects at the university and documentation of student activities on campus and of students and alumni who served in the war.

Among the programs which are documented in the University War Historian records are the Japanese Language School; the Civil Affairs Training School (CATS), Navy V-12 Program, Judge Advocates General School (JAGS), and Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP), which prepared their students to administer occupied countries; specialized engineering and public health programs; student groups; and programs promoting veterans' readjustment to civilian life. Also well documented is the work of the University Extension Service which taught courses to defense workers as well as to men and women in the armed services. Material includes contracts with the federal government, reports from various programs, correspondence, and administrative files. The records also detail the work of the University War Board which coordinated university planning for the war effort.

The records are organized into four series: University War Board, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and Miscellaneous Programs and Topical Files. Although the collection is largely unprocessed, the files are accurately labeled and accessible for research.