Inventory of the California State War Council Records, 1940-1945

Processed by The California State Archives staff; supplementary encoding and revision supplied by Xiuzhi Zhou.
California State Archives
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone: (916) 653-2246
Fax: (916) 653-7363
Email: ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov
URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/
© 2000
California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.

Inventory of the California State War Council Records, 1940-1945

Inventory: F3587



California State Archives

Office of the Secretary of State

Sacramento, California

Contact Information:

  • California State Archives
  • 1020 "O" Street
  • Sacramento, California 95814
  • Phone: (916) 653-2246
  • Fax: (916) 653-7363
  • Email: ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov
  • URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/
Processed by:
The California State Archives staff
© 2000 California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: California State War Council Records,
Date (inclusive): 1940-1945
Inventory: F3587
Creator: California State War Council
Repository: California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Language: English.

Administrative Information

Publication Rights

For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives collections.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], California State War Council Records, F3587, California State Archives.

Agency History

The California State Council of Defense was created in 1941, just at the beginning of World War II. Its function was to plan for the mobilization of agricultural, industrial, communication, and transportation facilities, for the protection of individual rights and consumer interests and for the suppression of sabotage and subversive activities.....( Stats., 1941, Ch. 561, p. 1940).
A significant similar agency, the Council of Defense, was operative during World War I. For information on the Council of Defense see the bibliographic note at the end of the finding aid.
This Council of Defense of 1941 was subsequently abolished in 1943 and its duties and powers were transferred to a newly created organization, California State War Council ( Stats. 1943, Ch. 294, p. 1277). This new body was composed of: the Governor, the Lieutenant-Governor, State Director of Civilian Defense, State Director of Civilian War Services, and two representatives from city and county governments each, who were to be appointed by and served at the pleasure of the Governor. The War Council was reorganized in 1944. Its membership was to include: the Governor, the Lieutentant Governor, Director of the War Council, Attorney-General, four members of the legislature, and two representatives of city and county governments each ( Stats. 1944, Ch. 55, p. 214). Finally, the duties and powers of the State War Council were transferred to the jurisdiction of the California State Disaster Council, in the Governor's office ( Stats. 1945, Ch. 1024, p. 1973). (26 f, 3/4 c.f.)
This group is classified into two major divisions: (1) general records of the California State War Council including minutes and correspondence and (2) advisory committee records which consist of advisory committee minutes and correspondence to and from the Council and the Governor's Office.