The Charles B. Burdick Military History Collection, 1914-1984 (bulk 1939-1966), represents the research files and collections amassed by military historian and SJSU history professor, Charles B. Burdick. The collection documents the history of World War I and World War II. World War I subjects covered include the Paris Peace Conference and the Treaty of Versailles, which formally ended World War I and military operations. World War II materials include publications originating from the German High Command, as well as reports and statistics from countries such as Italy, Germany, Japan, and the United States. The collection also includes print copies of the legal proceedings from the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, and maps of important World War II locations. The formats represented include correspondence, ephemera, maps, newspaper clippings, reports, and scrapbooks. This collection is arranged into three series: Series I: World War I & World War II Materials, 1914-1984 (bulk 1939-1958); Series II. International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE) Materials, 1946-1948; and Series III. Military Maps, 1919-1966 (bulk 1950-1966).

Charles B. Burdick (1927-1998) grew up in San José, California where he attended Lincoln High School before enlisting in the United States Army during World War II. After serving in the Army, Burdick enrolled at San José State College in 1946. He graduated with a B.A. in History in 1949, and obtained his Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1954. He joined SJSU's History Department in 1957, and became department chair in 1976. Throughout his teaching career, Professor Burdick worked diligently to create a program dedicated to military history. In addition, he donated several large private book collections on military history to the University Library, significantly adding to the monographic holdings in this area. Professor Burdick also taught for many years at the Sixth United Army Intelligence School located at the Presidio in Monterey, California. Over the course of his distinguished career, Burdick published dozens of articles and book chapters, and wrote and edited over twenty books. His research and writing on the history of the German High Command in World War II remains an important part of the historiography of World War II. After an association with San José State University that spanned forty-five years, Professor Burdick retired in 1988. He died in 1998.

93 Boxes, 217 Maps, 122.83 Linear Feet

Copyright is assigned to the San Jose State University Special Collections & Archives. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives. Copyright restrictions may apply to digital reproductions of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.