Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Van Deman, Ralph H., 1865-1952
- Abstract:
- The papers of Ralph Henry Van Deman, a US military intelligence officer, consist of correspondence, special orders, memoranda, personal documents, and photographs relating to American military intelligence activities during World War I and to the establishment of the United States Army's Military Intelligence Division.
- Extent:
- 1 manuscript box, 1 oversize box (0.8 Linear Feet)
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Ralph H. Van Deman papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Ralph Henry Van Deman papers are primarily composed of correspondence, special orders, memoranda, personal documents, and photographs relating to American military intelligence activities during World War I and to the establishment of the United States Army's Military Intelligence Division. The collection is arranged into four series: Biographical File, Correspondence, Office Files, and Printed Matter.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Ralph Henry Van Deman was born in 1865 in Delaware, Ohio. He received a bachelor's degree from Harvard University in 1888 and continued on to obtain a law degree. He was commissioned by the US Army as Second Lieutenant of Infantry and later enrolled in medical school at Ohio's Miami University. His natural aptitude for military intelligence landed him a position at the Military Intelligence Division (MID) in 1897. He is credited with organizing the Philippine Military Intelligence Division in 1901.
In 1907, Van Deman was relocated to Washington D.C. where he became the chief of the map section of MID. When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Van Deman attempted to bring some structure to military intelligence after its merger with the War College, which was the result of a direct order from the chief of staff, General Franklin Bell. His involvement in the revival of MID led to Van Deman taking charge of the reformed division. As the war progressed, Van Deman found himself in France, where in 1919 he served as the Senior American Intelligence officer and the chief of Counterintelligence for the Paris Peace Commission.
Van Deman retired from his military career in 1929 with the rank of Major General. Many years after his retirement, in 1941, Van Deman was appointed as the intelligence advisor to the United States War Department. For this work and his efforts in World War II intelligence he received the Legion of Merit. Van Deman died in 1952. His extensive career earned him the title of the Father of American Military Intelligence.
- Acquisition information:
- Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library Archives in 2003.
- Physical location:
- Hoover Institution Library & Archives
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
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.
- Terms of access:
-
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Ralph H. Van Deman papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
- Location of this collection:
-
Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford UniversityStanford, CA 94305-6003, US
- Contact:
- (650) 723-3563