Seeking to preserve the compelling stories and experiences of American war veterans, Congress passed the Veterans’ Oral History Project Act in 2000. The act created the Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library of Congress, which collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans, so that future generations can hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. To date, the VHP has archived more than 100,000 individual collections from veterans of both world wars, as well as 15 subsequent military conflicts.

It is in the Nation’s best interest to collect and catalog oral histories of American war veterans so that . . . Americans will always remember those who served in war and may learn first-hand of the heroics, tediousness, horrors, and triumphs of war.

Veterans’ Oral History Project Act, October 27, 2000