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Official records

Official Records: Pacific war

Official records refer to records raised by official government agencies, including the armed forces, and are the basic primary source for historical studies of Australia at war. Official records are not infallible; they are not always as comprehensive as the researcher might wish; they are not always as accurate as the public might expect; and they never tell the full story. Histories can always be illuminated by reference to private letters and diaries, published accounts and interviews with participants. Nonetheless, the prime source for reliable information is always the official record.

The two main repositories for official records relating to the Pacific War are the National Archives of Australia (principally the Canberra and the Melbourne offices), and the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

[Adapted from: David Horner, “Official Australian records of the Pacific War”, research essay for the Australia-Japan Research Project]

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