This year's selections of notable Federal government documents, from Artificial Intelligence to the Grand Canyon, Fun with Fruits and Vegetables to the Articles of Impeachment

Artificial Intelligence, China, Russia, and the Global Order: Technological, Political, Global, and Creative Perspectives. By Nicholas D. Wright, (ed.). Air University Press. 2019. ISBN# 9781585662951. OCLC# 1126347523. Online. xxvi, 264p. illus. maps. SuDoc# D 301.26/6-13:AR 7. purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo127365

Artificial intelligence and data collection are fundamentally changing the way governments set global policies and priorities. In this work, experts from both Britain and the United States examine how countries are adapting to the new digital landscape. The essays give significant attention to Chinese and Russian models, examining how these countries deploy new technologies and strategies to reshape the global order. Based on their findings, the authors offer three recommendations: the U.S. must adapt to new technologies; the U.S. must maintain influence across the globe through diplomatic, economic, informal, and commercial means; and the U.S. must confront “digital authoritarianism” whenever possible. The work, while sobering, is timely in its content and will be of interest to those who study the global policy impact of mass data collection.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Family Separation Policy: Perspectives from the Border. Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives. 2019. OCLC# 1122790887. Online. iii, 73p. SuDoc# Y 4.H 75:116-8. purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo126899

As part of a series of meetings to discuss the growing crisis at the U.S. southern border, the Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations met on March 26, 2019, to hear expert testimony. Those who spoke described the impact that current border policies had upon children, women, families, and others fleeing violence and trafficking. The testimony accounts provide both personal and detailed statistical information, with some witnesses speaking of individual struggles and experiences while others provide comprehensive summaries of larger issues and policies. The hearing, with its frank discussion of human trafficking, forced prostitution, and violence, is an important document in framing future discussions of current border policy.

Fortune's Distant Shores: A History of the Kotzebue Sound Gold Stampede in Alaska's Arctic. By Chris Allen. National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve. 2019. ISBN# 9780578476636. OCLC# 1109396244. Print. xvii, 169p. illus. maps. SuDoc# I 29.2:G 22/8. worldcat.org/oclc/1109396244

In the Winter of 1898, over 1,500 traveled to northwestern Alaska in search of gold. Misled by speculation and rumor, prospectors found harsh conditions rather than wealth, with roughly 5 percent dying and the rest facing boredom, scurvy, and hardship. National Parks Service historian Chris Allen provides insights into the experiences of the prospectors who traveled to the Kotzebue Sound in search of riches, only to find brutal conditions. Of particular note is the work’s treatment of interactions between prospectors and the Inupiaq and Inupiat during the winter. Like any good examination of a gold rush, the book is filled with the entertaining anecdotes, illustrations, and photographs.

Grand Canyon: 100 Years, One Million Lives, 1 Grand Canyon. By Roger Naylor and Johanna Lombard. National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. 2019. OCLC# 1101997636. Print. 56p. illus. maps. SuDoc# I 29.2:G 76/38. worldcat.org/oclc/1101997636

The Grand Canyon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most iconic features of the American landscape, drawing roughly six million visitors each year. Founded in 1919, the Grand Canyon National Park includes over 1.2 million acres in Coconino and Mohave counties, AZ. This illustrated volume provides a history of the park, while highlighting the people—visitors, stewards, and researchers—who have played an important role in its growth and development. The work also examines the relationship between people and nature, arguing that our stewardship of, and interaction with, the Grand Canyon reflects America’s history and values. As is often the case with NPS publications, the images in the work are an excellent addition. This short magazine, with its emphasis on how people have engaged with the Grand Canyon, provides an interesting and human history of the park.

The Great War: U.S. Army Art. By Sarah G. Forgey. U.S. Army, Center of Military History. 2019. OCLC# 1032288707. Online. xiii, 160. Illus. SuDoc# D 114.2:AR 7/5. history.army.mil/html/books/070/70-127/cmhPub_70-127.pdf

During World War I, the United States drew upon all of its economic, industrial, political, and social institutions in support of the considerable military effort. When soldiers, scholars, scientists, and other skilled professionals were called to service, artists were no exception. Artists of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) were given officers’ commissions and sent to document the activities and lives of those at the front. This document highlights the work of eight notable artists: William James Aylward (1875–1956), Walter Jack Duncan (1881–1941), Harvey Thomas Dunn (1884–1952), George Matthews Harding (1882–1959), Wallace Morgan (1873–1948), Ernest Clifford Peixotto (1869–1940), Jules André Smith (1880–1959), and Harry Everett Townsend (1879–1941). Through their pieces, which range from oil paintings to pencil sketches, readers gain a window into the experiences of those who served. Despite being commissioned pieces, the works are largely dark and ominous, reflecting the terrors of conflict. As a counterpoint, the work also includes 35 iconic recruitment posters in its final chapter. The work is beautifully illustrated and a welcome addition to the body of literature recently published about World War I.

The Great War: U.S. Army Artifacts. By Sarah G. Forgey. U.S. Army, Center of Military History. 2018. OCLC# 1043982404. Online xiii, 146p. illus. SuDoc# D 114.2:AR 7/6. history.army.mil/html/books/070/70-128/cmhPub_70-128.pdf

Containing high-quality color images of artifacts from over 50 museums across the United States, this work provides an invaluable and interesting window into the human experience of World War I. The publication offers a wide range of images. Alongside armored cars, trench coats, and aviation goggles are wool neck warmers, dental tools, pencil drawings, teacups, and other items from daily life. By including the mundane along with the obligatory and exciting machines of war, the work offers a balanced view of soldiers’ experience; the image of a bacon shipping crate (pg. 65) was as much a defining part of life in the trench as was the iconic gas mask (pg. 8). Accompanying each image is a brief but thorough description, along with extremely useful citations to encourage further study. The work will be of great value to readers interested in the Great War, especially those looking for high-quality images that convey the realities and experiences of life in the trenches.

Grow It, Try It, Like It!: Fun with Fruits and Vegetables at Family Child Care. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. 2019. OCLC# 1105989582. Website. Illus. SuDoc# A 98.9:642. fns.usda.gov/tn/grow-it-homes

Printed as part of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) this colorful guide is designed to provide garden-based nutrition education for children aged three to five. Each section of the website, which includes 348 pages of content in total, provides planting activities that help children learn how fruit and vegetables grow, while also showing how food originates at the farm, orchard, or garden. Fruit and vegetables covered in the work include strawberries, spinach, cantaloupe, crookneck squash, peaches, and sweet potatoes. Each section offers background information about the plant, as well as activities to keep children engaged, including tasting, growing, craft, movement, and reading.

House Resolution 755 - Articles of Impeachment Against Donald John Trump. House of Representatives. 2019. Online. 3p. congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/755/text

On December 18, 2019, Donald John Trump became the third American president to be impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives. The charges, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, were respectively passed in the House by 230–197 and 229–198 votes, with one member voting “present” in each. In support of the first charge, the document states “President Trump abused the powers of the Presidency by ignoring and injuring national security and other vital national interests to obtain an improper personal political benefit.” In support of the second charge, the document finds “President Trump has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as President and subversive of constitutional government, to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice, and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.” On February 5, the U.S. Senate acquitted the president of these charges in a 53–47 vote. The historical significance of the document is undeniable, as the mechanisms of impeachment have been so rarely called upon in American history.

Iran Military Power: Ensuring Regime Survival and Securing Regional Dominance. Defense Intelligence Agency. 2019. ISBN# 9780160951572. OCLC# 1128281469. Online. viii, 117p. illus. maps. SuDoc# D 5.202:IR 1. purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo128931

The content of this report is reflected by the cover image, which features an Iranian Shahab 3 ballistic missile on parade in Tehran. The work, which contains a rich collection of illustrations, maps, graphs, and tables, provides a concise and thorough overview of Iranian militarization from 1921 to the present. The introduction provides a historical summary, followed by chapters discussing the current military force, its doctrine and strategy, and its projected capabilities. The appendices of this work provide additional details about various topics, including Iran’s missile, naval, air, and ground forces. The detailed references included also make this report an excellent starting point for further research on this topic.

Naval Documents of The American Revolution Vol. 13. By Michael J. Crawford, Dennis M. Conrad (ed.), Peter C. Luebke (ed.), with forward by Rear Admiral Samuel J. Cox. Department of Defense. 2019. OCLC# 1091270291. Online. xv, 1306p. illus. maps. SuDoc# D 207.12:13. history.navy.mil/research/publications/publications-by-subject/naval-documents-of-the-american-revolution.html

The most recent volume in the Naval Documents of the American Revolution series, this work is a rich collection of accounts taken from letters, logs, muster rolls, petitions, maps, charts, woodcut engravings, and newspapers. Covering the period of June 1 through August 15, 1778, the work gives voice to those seaman, civilians, women, and enslaved individuals who took part in, or were affected by, both the American and European theaters of the Revolution. In addition to primary documents, the work includes invaluable annotations and footnotes, which provide historical context and citations for further reading. As a document source book, this is an outstanding resource for historians, students, and general readers interested in firsthand accounts of the American Revolution.

Pausing at the River Styx: An Administrative History of Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve. By Stephen R. Mark. Department of Interior. 2019. ISBN# 9781733444002. OCLC# 1128186844. Online. xi, 328p. illus. maps. SuDoc# I 29.2:OR 3/6. digital.osl.state.or.us/islandora/object/osl:939172

Printed by the National Park Service and digitized by the State Library of Oregon, this illustrated report provides a history of the NPS Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, which is located in southwest Oregon. Only 480 acres when established by President Taft in 1909, the park has grown to 4,070 acres, offering natural preservation and interpretative services. In examining the growth of this site, the work provides an important administrative history of the National Park Service, illustrating how proposals and expansion projects develop, wane, and are ultimately executed over the span of a century. As is often the case in NPS publication, this work includes an excellent collection of images, maps, and other visual material. Images included from historic NPS brochures are particularly interesting, and it is fortunate that this work has been made electrically accessible by the State Library of Oregon and Oregon Documents Depository Program.

Report on the Investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential Election: Submitted Pursuant to 28 C.F.R. §600.8(c). By Robert S. Muller. Department of Justice. Special Counsel's Office. 2019. OCLC# 1097602496. Online. 448p. illus. SuDoc# J 1.128:R 92/OFFICIAL. purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo119314

Speaking at a campaign rally on July 27, 2016, then-candidate Donald Trump responded to concerns of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election by flippantly remarking “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 [Hillary Clinton] emails that are missing” (pg. 49). In May 2017, a Special Counsel investigation was established to examine these allegations. In this report, the Department of Justice concludes “the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion,” notably by hacking Democratic National Committee emails (pg. 1). The report further finds “a Russian entity carried out a social media campaign that favored presidential candidate Donald J. Trump” and “a Russian intelligence service conducted computer-intrusion operations against entities, employees, and volunteers working on the Clinton Campaign.” The investigation concludes that “the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome,” and that the Trump campaign “would benefit electorally from the information stolen and released through Russian efforts.” The report further states that the “investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities” (pp. 1–2).

A Timeline of Census History. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Census Bureau. 2019. OCLC# 1125947715. Online. 1p. illus. SuDoc# C 3.2:T 48/2019. census.gov/history/pdf/timeline_census_history.pdf

Mandated by Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, the decennial Census is a vital and foundational part of American democracy. The importance of the Census is reflected by the prominence of its earliest supervisors: Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, Robert Smith, John Quincy Adams, and Martin Van Buren. That such notable figures within the Early Republic were entrusted to oversee the census reflects the complexity and importance of the process. This timeline provides an interesting and brief summary of the Census from 1790 to 2010. In addition to the total populations for each year, it provides facts about the census process itself, highlights notable historic events that took place between each, and identifies each Census Supervisor. While not an exhaustive summary, this poster provides an excellent and interesting timeline that demonstrates the growth of the Census and its place in American history.

Trauma at the Border: The Human Cost of Inhumane Immigration Policies. U. S. Commission on Civil Rights. 2019. Online. v, 197p. illus. usccr.gov/pubs/2019/10-24-Trauma-at-the-Border.pdf

This work examines the condition of immigration detention centers, finding “the current Administration’s changes to asylum, the tension of children, and certain other immigration policies, practices, and procedures have created an unnecessary human and civil rights crisis at the southern border” (p. [1]). The report proposes several recommendations, including greater oversight and inspection of detention centers, legislation to set minimum safety and sanitation conditions, and increased funding for hiring trained experts to process asylum requests. With 789 footnotes and three appendices, this 197 page report is both well-documented and sobering.

The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War I, The Russian Expeditions 1917-1920. Department of Defense, Department of the Army Center of Military History. 2019. ISBN# 9780160953309. OCLC# 1129406943. Print. 83p. illus. maps. SuDoc# D114.7/6:R92 bookstore.gpo.gov/products/us-army-campaigns-world-war-i-russian-expeditions-1917-1920

This concise and illustrated volume provides a narrative history of American Expeditionary Forces’ interventions in Russia during World War I. Often overshadowed by the Russian-American alliance in World War 2 and the subsequent Cold War, this period in U.S.-Russian relations would shape international affairs the rest of the century. In response to the Russian Civil War, Allied forces sought to assist the “White” anti-communist forces against the Bolshevik “Red” faction that eventually seized power. The work provides summary information on a variety of topics relating to the expedition, including the Usuri and Amuri campaigns, the factors resulting in the 1920 withdrawal, and the personal impact of President Wilson. It also addresses the long-lasting impact of this ultimately unsuccessful effort to prevent Bolsheviks from gaining power. The work provides an interesting and readable account of this important, but often overlooked, episode in U.S.-Russian interactions.