Scope and Content Note
The papers of William Harrison Standley (1872-1963) span the period 1895-1963, with the bulk of the material concentrated in 1940-1960. The papers include correspondence, speeches, articles, drafts of Standley's books, naval orders, news releases, reports, printed matter, and miscellaneous material. The collection is organized in General Correspondence; Speech, Article, and Book File; and Miscellany series.
The majority of the correspondence deals with the anti-Communist causes to which Standley allied himself in the 1950s. Also included are letters of congratulation concerning his appointment as ambassador to the Soviet Union and letters concerning his role as director of foreign participation in the 1939 New York World's Fair.
Speeches in the Speech, Article, and Book file reflect Standley's interests and concerns during the period 1933-1955. Speaking in the 1930s, he stressed the need for an effective sea power founded upon an expanding shipbuilding program, and in 1940 he called for war with Germany. After his return from the Soviet Union in 1943, Standley concentrated his speechmaking efforts on American relations with the Soviet Union.
Included in the book file are drafts of Standley's published book, Admiral Ambassador to Russia, and an unpublished autobiography, “Admiral Standley, Early Life and Naval Career.” The latter covers the period from 1895 to 1937 and is useful in its portrayal of a segment of Standley's life that is absent in the correspondence.
The Miscellany series consists chiefly of newspaper clippings, news releases, printed matter, and reports that relate to the anti-Communist organizations that Standley supported. Biographical information is also contained in naval orders dated from 1895 to 1948.