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Acquisition Information
Preferred Citation
Biographical Note
Scope and Content of Collection
Title: Seymour Weiss papers
Date (inclusive): 1943-1998
Collection Number: 99004
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
27 manuscript boxes, 1 oversize box
(11.6 Linear Feet)
Abstract: The papers document Seymour Weiss's long career as an analyst at the U.S. Department of State. Working closely with his counterparts
in the Department of Defense, Weiss specialized in the fields of nuclear strategy and arms control. The bulk of his papers
consist of correspondence, memoranda, photographs, and reports, among which are numerous studies of the strength of the Soviet
military and analyses of treaties such as the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaties (SALT I and II).
Creator:
Weiss, Seymour
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Access
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
Use
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Acquisition Information
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 1999.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Seymour Weiss papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Biographical Note
1925 May 15 |
Born, Chicago, Illinois |
1968-1969 |
Director, Office of Strategic Research and Intelligence, U.S. Department of State |
1972-1973 |
Deputy Director, Policy Planning Staff, U.S. Department of State |
1973-1974 |
Assistant Secretary of State for Politico-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State |
1974-1976 |
U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas |
1992 |
Died |
Scope and Content of Collection
The papers document Seymour Weiss's long career as an analyst at the U.S. Department of State. Working closely with his counterparts
in the Department of Defense, Weiss specialized in the fields of nuclear strategy and arms control. The bulk of his papers
consist of correspondence, memoranda, and reports, among which are numerous studies of the strength of the Soviet military
and analyses of treaties such as the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaties (SALT I and II).
Weiss was skeptical about Soviet intentions and any agreements to limit or reduce the nuclear arsenal of the United States.
In the late 1970s, Weiss was part of the Team B undertaking, in which a group of outside experts looked at the question of
the size and nature of Soviet nuclear forces. Team B produced a classified report that diverged from those prepared by the
U.S. government. Materials related to Team B can be found in the Subject File. Weiss also served as an advisor to the Reagan
presidential transition team, and materials related to this can be found in the Subject File.
The papers also include the many opinion pieces that Weiss wrote after leaving government service. These were published in
newspapers like
The Wall Street Journal,
The Washington Post, and
The New York Times and focused largely on various arms control initiatives and the process of détente with the Soviet Union. Weiss remained
hawkish in his views and was critical of any accommodation of the Soviet Union on the part of the United States.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1969-1974
Nuclear weapons
Arms control
United States -- Military policy
United States -- Defenses
Security, International
United States. Department of State