Seymour Weiss papers, 1943-1998

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Summary

Creators:
Weiss, Seymour
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).
Extent:
27 manuscript boxes, 1 oversize box (11.6 Linear Feet)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Seymour Weiss papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

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.

Biographical / historical:
Date Event
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
Acquisition information:
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library Archives in 1999.
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], Seymour Weiss papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Location of this collection:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003, US