Archived Military History Resources
This list constitutes a record of federal or state actions since January 2015 that have had a material impact on the conduct of military history, in the arenas of research, publication, dissemination, and teaching. The SMH will try to verify all submitted information, and will indicate as such on the list. All submissions should be solely related to the practice of military history. The SMH will attempt to curate this list as much as possible to update any restorations of material that has disappeared. Members are encouraged to submit updates.
Dates below are “as of,” since dates of actual deletion or removal may not be known.
Item 1 - February 26
The DoD issued an order (https://media.defense.gov/2025/Feb/27/2003652943/-1/-1/1/DIGITAL-CONTENT-REFRESH.PDF) “to remove all DoD news and feature articles, photos, and videos that promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). All articles, photos, and videos removed from DoD websites and social media platforms must be archived and retained in accordance with applicable records management policies.” The order also specified: “If Components cannot remove DEI content from DoD social media accounts by March 5, 2025, they must temporarily remove from public display all news articles, photos and videos published between January 20, 2021, and January 19, 2025, until the content is fully reviewed and DEI content removed. While DEI-related content outside of this date range must also be removed, articles, photos, and videos from the last four years are the immediate priority to align DoD communication with the current Administration.”
Although this order specifies that all material must be archived, there is currently no information available on whether that has been done or where or how it could be accessed. This page will be updated if that situation changes.
Although this order specifies that all material must be archived, there is currently no information available on whether that has been done or where or how it could be accessed. This page will be updated if that situation changes.
Item 2 - March 8 (VERIFIED)
The Army took down lesson plans focusing on African American history, Women’s history, Reconstruction, and the Civil War have been removed from the educational page of the Arlington National Cemetery’s website. Archived here: https://web.archive.org/web/20250126164136/https://education.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Themes/African-American-History
Item 3 - March 11 (VERIFIED)
The Army took down a podcast on from its War College SSI site on Hispanic heritage:
https://ssi.armywarcollege.edu/2022/hispanic-heritage-month/national-hispanic-heritage-month-dr-ricardo-herrera/
https://ssi.armywarcollege.edu/2022/hispanic-heritage-month/national-hispanic-heritage-month-dr-ricardo-herrera/
Item 4 - March 13 (VERIFIED)
The Army deleted its page on the 442nd Japanese American infantry regiment (the most decorated in US military history).
Archived here: https://web.archive.org/web/20250304210520/https://www.army.mil/asianpacificamericans/442.html
Original location: https://www.army.mil/asianpacificamericans/442.html
Archived here: https://web.archive.org/web/20250304210520/https://www.army.mil/asianpacificamericans/442.html
Original location: https://www.army.mil/asianpacificamericans/442.html
Item 5 - March 14
An executive order seeking to dismantle seven federal agencies, including the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (a nonpartisan think tank, widely known for hosting military history related events, speakers and fellowships) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which funds and supports museums, libraries and archives. Those agencies were instructed to eliminate all functions that are not statutorily mandated and to “reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/15/us/politics/trump-order-voice-of-america.html?unlocked_article_code=1.4E4.XmRE.Q1FGV-iBMzXr&smid=url-share
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/15/us/politics/trump-order-voice-of-america.html?unlocked_article_code=1.4E4.XmRE.Q1FGV-iBMzXr&smid=url-share
Item 6 - March 27 (VERIFIED)
The White House issued an Executive Order directing the Secretary of the Interior to "determine whether, since January 1, 2020, public monuments, memorials, statues, markers, or similar properties within the Department of the Interior’s jurisdiction have been removed or changed to perpetuate a false reconstruction of American history, inappropriately minimize the value of certain historical events or figures, or include any other improper partisan ideology;" to "take action to reinstate the pre-existing monuments, memorials, statues, markers, or similar properties," and to "take action, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to ensure that all public monuments, memorials, statues, markers, or similar properties within the Department of the Interior’s jurisdiction do not contain descriptions, depictions, or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living (including persons living in colonial times), and instead focus on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people or, with respect to natural features, the beauty, abundance, and grandeur of the American landscape."
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/restoring-truth-and-sanity-to-american-history/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/restoring-truth-and-sanity-to-american-history/
Item 7 - April 13
Several historical display alterations have been made at the Naval War College and other commands at Naval Station Newport.
2/1/25 - Uniform items belonging to Lieutenant Colonel Bree Fram, the first transgender graduate of the Naval War College, were removed from display at the base headquarters building of Naval Station Newport.
2/20/25 - A 40 foot wall mural timeline depicting the history of the U.S. Navy JAG Corps was removed from the Naval Justice School. Two entries on the timeline mentioned the first woman and the first African-American to serve as JAG. The entire wall mural was painted over and erased.
2/28/25 - The Naval War College altered the descriptive label for the portrait of Admiral Shoshana Chatfield on display in the main administrative building. The label had referred to her as the first woman to serve as President of the Naval War College. It was changed to refer to her as the first helicopter pilot to serve as PNWC.
3/19/25 - A display featuring former Secretary of the Navy Carlos del Toro was removed from the Naval War College library. No justification was provided and no other historical displays in the library were altered.
2/1/25 - Uniform items belonging to Lieutenant Colonel Bree Fram, the first transgender graduate of the Naval War College, were removed from display at the base headquarters building of Naval Station Newport.
2/20/25 - A 40 foot wall mural timeline depicting the history of the U.S. Navy JAG Corps was removed from the Naval Justice School. Two entries on the timeline mentioned the first woman and the first African-American to serve as JAG. The entire wall mural was painted over and erased.
2/28/25 - The Naval War College altered the descriptive label for the portrait of Admiral Shoshana Chatfield on display in the main administrative building. The label had referred to her as the first woman to serve as President of the Naval War College. It was changed to refer to her as the first helicopter pilot to serve as PNWC.
3/19/25 - A display featuring former Secretary of the Navy Carlos del Toro was removed from the Naval War College library. No justification was provided and no other historical displays in the library were altered.
Item 8 - April 13
The Woodrow Wilson Center was recently gutted and most of its staff terminated.
The Wilson Center hosts a digital archive (https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/)containing translated documents on cold war and nuclear history from archives all over the world. Although some of these materials are not strictly military historical in nature, many are. They are an incredibly valuable resource for scholars looking to understand the drivers and conduct of conflict from all sides.
Although the digital archive is still functioning, it is unclear how long this will remain true.
The Wilson Center hosts a digital archive (https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/)containing translated documents on cold war and nuclear history from archives all over the world. Although some of these materials are not strictly military historical in nature, many are. They are an incredibly valuable resource for scholars looking to understand the drivers and conduct of conflict from all sides.
Although the digital archive is still functioning, it is unclear how long this will remain true.
Item 9 - April 13 (VERIFIED)
The World War II images of ambulance driver Paul Bland, of the 590th Ambulance Company, have been removed.
(Current version)
https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/see-world-war-ii-through-lens-african-american-soldier
(Old version)
https://web.archive.org/web/20240226043358/https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/see-world-war-ii-through-lens-african-american-soldier
The citation:
National Museum of American History, "See World War II through the lens of an African American soldier", Rebecca Murphy, 12 November 2014.
The current URL and the old URL give a view of what the website looks like and the changes that they made. To see a video comparison of the site before and after, click here. The information concerns the 590th Ambulance Company, a unit of Black Americans during World War II. Included in the article are some 11 photographs, taken by Paul Bland, a Black American ambulance driver, during World War II.
Sample removed images can be seen here:
(Current version)
https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/see-world-war-ii-through-lens-african-american-soldier
(Old version)
https://web.archive.org/web/20240226043358/https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/see-world-war-ii-through-lens-african-american-soldier
The citation:
National Museum of American History, "See World War II through the lens of an African American soldier", Rebecca Murphy, 12 November 2014.
The current URL and the old URL give a view of what the website looks like and the changes that they made. To see a video comparison of the site before and after, click here. The information concerns the 590th Ambulance Company, a unit of Black Americans during World War II. Included in the article are some 11 photographs, taken by Paul Bland, a Black American ambulance driver, during World War II.
Sample removed images can be seen here:
Item 10 - April 13 (UNVERIFIED - LIKELY UNTRUE)
Starting in 2015, many hundreds if not thousands of books were removed from the shelves in the Morris Miller Library at the University of Tasmania and these areas turned into computer desks etc. Among them were books on military history and other associated material including resource books for teachers.
Item 11 - April 13 (VERIFIED)
This file documents 111 URLs from defense.gov that have been specifically marked as "DEI content" and are at risk of removal, have been altered, or have already been removed from public access. This systematic categorization of diversity, equity, and inclusion materials on the Department of Defense website represents a significant moment in how military history and diverse service member contributions are being curated in official channels.
Video demonstrations showing how these materials were identified and marked:
Several related images were also removed, listed here:
Video demonstrations showing how these materials were identified and marked:
Several related images were also removed, listed here:
- List of photos removed from US Air Force sites
- LtCol Harold Brown Image List
- Image NJ935-0001.jpg and Explanatory Text
- Image NJ935-0002.jpg and Explanatory Text
- Image NJ935-0003.jpg and Explanatory Text
- Image NJ935-0004.jpg and Explanatory Text
- Image D0439-071.jpg and Explanatory Text
- Image D0439-031.jpg and Explanatory Text
Item 12 - April 15 (VERIFIED)
"Absent from the Front: What the Case of the Missing World War II Black Combat Soldier can Teach us about Diversity and Inclusion," in Joint Force Quarterly vol 111, (4th Quarter 2023), 112-123.
Originally housed at https://ndupress.ndu.edu. The entire edition was taken off the website. It is, however, currently available at https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/jfq-full-issue/3/. Also available on the Wayback Machine at https://web.archive.org/web/20240420145145/https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Portals/68/Documents/jfq/jfq-111/jfq-111_112-123_Greenwald.pdf?ver=4NDGxeyg2T6N9DGdD8eULw%3D%3D
Originally housed at https://ndupress.ndu.edu. The entire edition was taken off the website. It is, however, currently available at https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/jfq-full-issue/3/. Also available on the Wayback Machine at https://web.archive.org/web/20240420145145/https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Portals/68/Documents/jfq/jfq-111/jfq-111_112-123_Greenwald.pdf?ver=4NDGxeyg2T6N9DGdD8eULw%3D%3D
