Civil Affairs Training School

The Army’s Civil Affairs Training School (also known as the Civil Affairs Specialists Training Program) was designed and operated by the United States War Department.  The program was set up to prepare officers for work in military government programs within occupied territories in Asia and Europe.  The trainees were officers recruited for their professional experiences in civilian life in a variety of fields of expertise deemed critical to post-war reconstruction (such as business, education, engineering, journalism, law enforcement and legal affairs).  The trainees were sent to Harvard as well as a handful of other universities (including  Boston University, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, Stanford University, University of Wisconsin and Yale University).  At Harvard, the program was administered through the School of Overseas Administration.

Archival Collections: Civil Affairs Training School

Records from Civil Affairs Training School, 1944-1945. (2 containers):

  • Roster: Classes of Sept. 1944-March 1945 and Jan.-June 1945. (1 folder). [Call number: UAV 285.277].  
  • Directives from Headquarters, Army Service Forces, undated. (1 folder). [Call number: UAV 285.218].

 

Leaflets from the Civil Affairs Training School. (1 folder). [Call number: HUE 14.4]

English-Japanese Dictionary, March 1945. (1 volume). [Call number: HUE 14.145.24].

Japanese-English and English-Japanese vocabulary list, 1945?. [Call number: HUE 14.145.42]

Cat-Nip. Cambridge, Mass.: Civil Affairs Training School; Far Eastern Area, Harvard University. (Volume I, no. 1-13: May 16-August 17, 1945). [Call number: HUE 14.811].  Note: Newsletter of Harvard's Civil Affairs Training School: Far Eastern Area.

 

Harvard University. Comptroller. Accounts receivable: ledgers, invoices, statements, etc. (1 volume):

  • Accounts receivable - Civil Affairs Training School accounts of room and board receipts, volume 1, kept as sample (A-Z), September 1944-July 1945. (1 volume). [Call number: UAI 65.15.2.18].

 

Harvard University. School for Overseas Administration. Records related to the Civil Affairs Training School:

Harvard University. School for Overseas Administration. Correspondence of the administrators, 1943-1945. (4 boxes). [Call number: UAV 663.95.2].

  • Content note: Contains correspondence of the top three administrators in the School for Overseas Administration, Carl J. Friedrich, Director; Merle Fainsod, Deputy Director in Charge of the Civil Affairs Training School; and Lauriston Ward, Associate Director in Charge of Far Eastern programs.

 

Civil Affairs Training School: European Area Records, 1943-1945. (6 boxes). [Call number: UAV 663.195.3].

  • Content note: Contains correspondence, memoranda, examinations, student notes, lists, minutes, lecture notes, student records and other documents relating to the administration of and activities within the European Area division of the Civil Affairs Training School.

 

Civil Affairs Training School: Far Eastern area records, 1943-1945. (10 boxes). [Call number: UAV 663.195.4 Boxes 1-10].

  • Content note: Contains correspondence, memoranda, examinations, student notes, lists, minutes, lecture notes, student records and other documents relating to the administration of and activities within the Far Eastern division of the Civil Affairs Training School.

 

Civil Affairs Training School: Student Reports, 1943-1945. (5 boxes). [Call number: UAV 663.195.5].

  • Content note: Contains reports of group projects written by students in the Civil Affairs Training School, both in the European and Far Eastern divisions. Access note: University records pertaining to individuals (such as student records) are closed for a minimum of 80 years. The bulk of these records may be closed at least until July 1, 2026.

 

Harvard University. School for Overseas Administration.Miscellaneous records related to the Civil Affairs Training School, circa 1943-circa 1945. (6 containers):

  • Attendance: Civil Affairs Training School, undated. (1 folder). [Call number: UAV 663.206].
  • Certificates not given: Civil Affairs Training School, undated. (1 folder). [Call number: UAV 663.212].
  • Information for student officers: Civil Affairs Training Program, undated. (1 folder). [Call number: UAV 663.239].
  • Lists of staff, students, etc., undated. (1 folder). [Call number: UAV 663.250].   
  • Material received in library: Civil Affairs Training School, Far Eastern Area, undated. (1 folder). [Call number: UAV 663.252].
  • Personnel records: registration and rating forms, etc.: Civil Affairs Training School, circa 1944. (1 box). [Call number: UAV 663.269].

 

Harvard University. School for Overseas Administration. Curriculum material, examinations, and tests, 1943-1945. (9 containers):

  • Examinations, undated. (1 folder). [Call number: UAV 663.228].
  • Material relating to German Program, Civil Affairs Training Program, undated. (1 box). [Call number: UAV 663.232].
  • Japanese language lessons: Civil Affairs Training School, undated. (4 boxes). [Call number: UAV 663.242].
  • Military government problems: Civil Affairs Training School, 1943-1945. (1 box). [Call number: UAV 663.255].  
  • Reading assignments, undated. (1 box). [Call number: UAV 663.274].
  • Reading material reproduced for use in Army Specialized Training Program and Civil Affairs Training School courses, undated. (1 box). [Call number: UAV 663.275].   

 

Harvard University. School for Overseas Administration. Lecture materials, 1944-1945. (2 containers):

  • Civil Affairs Training School: Outlines of lectures: Civil Affairs Training School, Far East Area, 1944-1945. (1 box). [Call number: UAV 663.246].
  • Civil Affairs Training School: Lecture schedules, 1944. (1 folder). [Call number: UAV 663.248].

 

Harvard University. School for Overseas Administration. Grades. 1944-1945. (1 container):

  • Grades:  Civil Affairs Training School, undated. (1 box). [Call number: UAV 663.236],  

 

Correspondence related to the School for Overseas Administration and the Civil Affairs Training School. In: Papers of Merle Fainsod. (1 box). [Call number: HUG 4382.15].
 

Papers relating to School for Overseas Administration, 1942-1945. In: Papers of Carl J. Friedrich. (1 box). [Call number: HUGFP 17.26].