The public is getting its first glimpse at what was going on behind closed doors at the White House in the chaotic aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

The hundreds of photos that were released Friday depict tense conversations between President George W. Bush and senior staff from within the President’s Emergency Operations Center, a secure bunker buried beneath the White House.

Vice President Dick Cheney can be seen watching smoke billow out of the World Trade Center as he props a foot on his desk. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice looks somber at a conference table. Laura Bush and Lynne Cheney stand together against a wall.

The photos were made public by the U.S. National Archives in response to a Freedom of Information Act request that was filed by Colette Neirouz Hanna, a coordinating producer for the Kirk Documentary Group.

Cheney’s staff photographer captured the historic images.