This volume investigates the official position of the United States government regarding various international legal issues during the 1979 calendar year. Marian L. Nash, serving as a legal officer within the Department of State, compiles and organizes primary source materials to document the evolution of American foreign policy and legal interpretation. The work provides a structured framework for understanding how the U.S. applied international law to diplomatic, economic, and territorial disputes during this specific period.

Legal scholars and practitioners utilize this series as a foundational reference for historical research into American foreign policy. Experts frequently note the high density of primary source documentation, which serves as an authoritative record for legal historians and international relations researchers.