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James F. Gebhardt papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSC-345

Content Description

The papers comprise an unfinished translation project of forty documents from the Main Staff of the Naval Forces of the USSR’s Collection of Materials on the Experience of Combat Activities of the Naval Forces of the USSR, published by the Directorate of the Naval Press of the People’s Commissariat of the Navy of the USSR between 1943 and 1954. They document all aspects of Soviet naval operations during World War II. The original records were declassified by the Soviet Union in 1989.

The papers are organized into two series: (1) English translations completed by Gebhardt, and (2) photocopies of the original source documents in Russian. The first series consists of nine translations in digital format with some paper copies included. The translated documents concern submarine operations; the maintenance of sea lines of communication; amphibious operations; and intelligence support of naval operations, among other subjects. The second series consists of photocopies of the original 40 source documents in Russian with minor annotations included. The documents are arranged numerically and an index to their titles in English is available.

Scope and Contents Note

The papers comprise an unfinished translation project of forty documents from the Main Staff of the Naval Forces of the USSR’s Collection of Materials on the Experience of Combat Activities of the Naval Forces of the USSR, by the Directorate of the Naval Press of the People’s Commissariat of the Navy of the USSR between 1943 and 1954. They document all aspects of Soviet naval operations during World War II. The original records were declassified by the Soviet Union in 1989.

The papers are organized into two series: (1) English translations completed by Gebhardt, and (2) photocopies of the original source documents in Russian. The first series consists of nine translations in digital format with some paper copies included. The translated documents concern submarine operations; the maintenance of sea lines of communication; amphibious operations; and intelligence support of naval operations, among other subjects. The second series consists of photocopies of the original 40 source documents in Russian with minor annotations included. The documents are arranged numerically and an index to their titles in English is available.

Dates

  • Creation: 1943-2014
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1943 - 1954

Creator

Language of Materials

Russian

Conditions Governing Access

Access is open to all researchers, unless otherwise specified.

Conditions Governing Use

Material in this collection is in the public domain, unless otherwise noted.

Biographical Note

Major James F. Gebhardt, USA (b. 1948) is a military historian and translator. He served as an enlisted infantryman (1966-1969), armor officer (1974-1983), and Soviet foreign area officer (1984-1991). He earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Idaho in 1974 and an M.A. in Soviet History from the University of Washington in 1976. He also received diplomas related to the study of the Russian language from the Defense Language Institute, Monterey, California (1984) and the U.S. Army Russian Institute at Garmisch, Federal Republic of Germany (1986).

While assigned to the Combat Studies Institute (CSI), Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, from 1986 to 1988, Gebhardt authored Leavenworth Paper 17: The Petsamo-Kirkenes Operation: Soviet Breakthrough and Pursuit in the Arctic, October 1944. Following his military service, he translated and edited several books on Soviet military operations during World War II, as well as numerous technical manuals on Soviet small arms. In 2004, he rejoined CSI as a contract historian and wrote several articles related to the Global War on Terror.

Extent

2.30 Linear Feet

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into two series:

  1. Translations
  2. Source documents (in Russian)
Title
James F. Gebhardt papers
Status
Dacs Finding Aid
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Naval War College Archives Repository

Contact:
US Naval War College
686 Cushing Rd
Newport RI 02841 US