On the Public History of Original Military Records

 This blog discusses fold3.com, an expansive and interactive online collection of original American military records including: photos, military and associated government documents, and media correspondences. 

How does the site execute its main idea?

The site's main idea seems to be three-fold: to provide public education on America's most prominent wars, to engage public discourse thereon, and to provide a public history memorial online.

In doing so, fold3.com adopts a simplistic, intuitive design whose nicest feature is probably the various search options readily provided on the homepage.  This includes a conspicuous and centrally located search box, various topically categorized search links, and the visible sub-menu search links that pop up when the more general link is clicked. 

   The variety of specific search options makes the site's advertised 97 million-plus digitized images and documents seem less imposing and easier to navigate and explore according to one's particular, specific - or, as in my case, undiscovered - interests.  With one click on any of the wars, visitors receive a good general idea of the breadth of content contained within the site.  It does, however, say little about the emotional depth and carnal power of much of the content, in particular the occasional gut-wrenching photographs of certain wounded soldiers. 

    Lastly, the site tempts one to linger by clearly highlighting a "Featured Spotlight" historical document on the homepage, which thereby instantly provides site visitors with an example of one of the many types of content the site contains.

How are the collections used?  To what effect?

 The collections are used in two primary ways.  

    First, as an educational and scholarly resource insofar as it provides a treasure trove of public, military, government, and media content documenting America's most widely publicized military excursions.     

  Second, the site functions as a memorial and museum for the preservation and display of said media memory regarding major U.S. military excursions.  "Members may create Memorial Pages and, using [fold3's] tools, annotate historical documents, provide commentary, and post their own historical documents for others to view" (from the site's User Agreement).  It is quite remarkable that members may post comments on or even annotate such important historical documents such as the de-classified "Report of the Office of the Secretary of defense Vietnam Task Force" from the "Pentagon Papers."              

    Unfortunately, the site - whether inadvertently or not - perpetuates minimizing beliefs about the vast extent of our country's military involvement.  This results in part because the site appears so thoroughly credible; that is, because of the breadth of and the thoroughness with which it addresses such serious subject matter, the site's less educated or more naïve visitors may be strengthened in the erroneous belief that the seven wars covered constitute the entirety of our nation's military history.

Ferociously addictive is the best way I can describe this site.  I've had no hesitations about advertising it to everyone I think might be even remotely interested in military history and the governmental and political associations with it.