Primary Sources: Major Events: Iran-Contra Affair

A collection of primary source documents related to American History.

"The C.I.A. airdropped thousands of these 15-page illustrated manuals telling "Nicaraguans who love their country and cherish freedom" how they could sabotage the Sandinista-led government. The leftist Sandinistas had overthrown a military dictatorship in 1979; the U.S. supported rightwing Contras in their efforts to remove the Sandinistas from power. A Contra fighter in Honduras, where the C.I.A. based its anti-Sandinista efforts, gave a copy of the manual to a reporter in 1984."

"This electronic briefing book is compiled from declassified documents obtained by the National Security Archive, including the notebooks kept by NSC aide and Iran-contra figure Oliver North, electronic mail messages written by high-ranking Reagan administration officials, memos detailing the contra war effort, and FBI and DEA reports. The documents demonstrate official knowledge of drug operations, and collaboration with and protection of known drug traffickers. Court and hearing transcripts are also included."

"Presents a speech by Ronald Reagan, president of the United States, delivered in Washington, D.C. on August 12, 1987. Remarks on the Iran-contra issue; Decision of the president to appoint Judge Robert Bork in the U.S. Court of Appeals; Efforts to reach an agreement between the U.S. and Soviet Union regarding nuclear arms."

Documents Spotlight Role of Reagan, Top Aides

His Diaries, E-Mail, and Memos on
the Kerry Report, Contras and Drugs

"The Iran-Contra Scandal, 1991 Confirmation Hearings, and Excerpts from new book Safe for Democracy"

Transcripts of oral histories given by various people from the Reagan administration.

"As a Presidential library administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Reagan Library, under the authority of the Presidential Records Act, is the repository of presidential records for President Reagan’s administration. Our holdings include over 60 million pages of documents, over 1.6 million photographs, a half million feet of motion picture film and tens of thousands of audio and video tapes. Additionally, the Library houses personal papers collections including documents from Ronald Reagan’s eight years as governor of California. "

"...comprehensive website on the famous Reagan-era government scandal, which stemmed from the U.S. government’s policies toward two seemingly unrelated countries, Nicaragua and Iran. " The site includes documents and videos related to the scandal.