Pentagon Papers Leak

About

The Pentagon Papers leak was a pivotal historical event that exposed the U.S. government's secret involvement in the Vietnam War. The leak occurred in 1971 when Daniel Ellsberg, a former Defense Department employee, released a classified study to the press. The study, known as the Pentagon Papers, detailed U.S. military and political actions in Vietnam from 1945 to 1967. It revealed that successive U.S. administrations had misled the public about the war's progress and intentions, including secret bombings and raids on North Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. The leak had significant consequences. It led to a Supreme Court case, New York Times Co. v. United States, which upheld the freedom of the press to publish classified information in the public interest. The leak also contributed to growing public distrust of the government and intensified opposition to the Vietnam War. President Nixon's response to the leak included illegal actions, such as the formation of the "Plumbers" unit, which eventually led to the Watergate scandal and Nixon's resignation. The Pentagon Papers remain a landmark case in the balance between national security and press freedom.