Daniel ellsberg born april 7, 1931 is an american economist, activist and former united states military analyst who, while employed by the rand corporation, precipitated a national political controversy in 1971 when he released the pentagon papers, a topsecret pentagon study of the u. Ellsberg publishes a book about the pentagon papers case, secrets. Daniel ellsberg, wife of the man who allegedly gave the pentagon papers to the press, life is a bit more complicated, a bit more hectic. Daniel ellsberg reveals secrets of americas doomsday. Daniel ellsberg my book the doomsday machine facebook. In 1971, daniel ellsberg leaked the pentagon papers to the press in hopes they would help end the vietnam war. In december 2006 he was awarded the 2006 right livelihood award, known as the alternative nobel prize, in stockholm, sweden. Andrew rice interviewed daniel ellsberg for a profile in new york magazine here are some passages. He is now a prominent speaker, writer, and activist. They were given without authorization to the new york times by daniel ellsberg, who worked on the project.
The most dangerous man in america is the story of what happens when a former pentagon insider, armed only with his conscience, steadfast determination, and a file cabinet full of classified documents, decides to challenge an imperial presidencyanswerable to neither congress, the press, nor the peoplein order to help end the vietnam war. The doomsday machine interview with daniel ellsberg. His leak of what became known as the pentagon papers, a secret history of the vietnam war written for the american government revealing the nations duplicity in the asian military. In new book, daniel ellsberg warns of nuclear dangers. Daniel ellsberg talked about the reasons he chose to leak the pentagon papers and his opinions on the vietnam war.
Ellsberg, an analyst at the rand corporation, passed a new york times reporter a copy of a topsecret report casting doubt on the war in vietnam, the socalled pentagon papers. The untold story of the pentagon papers coconspirators. Speaking publicly for the first time, a historian reveals the crucial role that he and a small band of others played in helping daniel. Dubbed the pentagon papers, the document appeared to undercut publicly stated justification for the vietnam war. On nuclear weapons, the potential for peace, and perestroika. The tumultuous era is captured in daniel ellsberg s fascinating new book secrets. Daniel ellsbergs most popular book is voices of a peoples history of the united states. Confessions of a nuclear war planner, ellsberg reveals for the first time copies of topsecret documents from his nuclear studiesan entire second set of papers in addition to the pentagon papers, for which he is known.
Read an interview with the pentagon papers whistleblower about being a nuclear analyst and the possibility of war with north korea. An account of the legal and political battle over the pentagon papers, by sanford j ungar jan 1, 1972. He says seeking profit in spite of the risk of nuclear winter is institutional madness. Daniel ellsberg left gives a news conference regarding the pentagon papers, jan. Daniel ellsberg has 18 books on goodreads with 12922 ratings. Pentagon papers, papers that contain a history of the u. The document set in motion a chain of events that ended not only the nixon presidency but the vietnam war. Daniel ellsberg, a highlevel pentagon official and vietnam war strategist, concludes that the war is based on decades of lies and leaks 7,000 pages of top secret documents to the new york times. Daniel ellsberg is known mainly for or only for the pentagon papers he leaked in 1971. Fortysix years after the release of the pentagon papers, he is once again front and center in the issues we are talking about. Isbn 0815340222 ellsberg s 1962 phd was released as a book daniel ellsberg. Daniel ellsberg explains why he leaked the pentagon papers.
An interview with pentagon papers whistleblower daniel ellsberg. Apr 03, 2020 daniel ellsberg, american military analyst and researcher who, in 1971, leaked parts of a classified report that detailed the history of u. In 1971, ellsberg leaked the pentagon papers to the press in the hope that they would help end the vietnam war. Jun, 2011 june th, 2011, marks the 40th anniversary of the initial publication of the pentagon papers in the new york times. Daniel ellsberg, the original whistleblower, looks back. A memoir of vietnam and the pentagon papers daniel. In this interview, ellsberg critiques the pbs vietnam war series, discusses what he was doing at the pentagon on october 21, 1967, reveals how defense secretary mcnamara had secretly proposed. Daniel ellsberg warns of nuclear dangers in the era of trump. Ellsberg, meanwhile, went on the lam, operating as a sort of fugitive johnny appleseed, planting other sections of the pentagon papers with smaller.
What would daniel ellsberg do with the pentagon papers today. Daniel ellsberg on dismantling the doomsday machine truthdig. After finding this book quite by accident while browsing through the wonderful concord bookstore the other day, i was astounded to find how relevant and interesting a story author daniel ellsberg manages to conjure up after all this time regarding his legendary experience leading up to and including the leaking, release and publication of the infamous pentagon papers by the new york times. Oct 17, 2017 daniel ellsberg warns of nuclear dangers in the era of trump. May 20, 2008 daniel ellsberg oral history interview, part 2. Daniel ellsberg was born on april 7, 1931 in chicago, illinois, usa. Just finished reading this book and wow, like the previous book the papers on war, this was a book that i did not want to put down. Daniel ellsberg is a former american military analyst employed by the rand corporation who precipitated a national political controversy in 1971 when he released the pentagon papers, a topsecret pentagon study of government decisionmaking about the vietnam war, to the new york times and other newspapers. An interview with daniel ellsberg the man who revealed the pentagon papers now gives us a candid look inside the world of thermonuclear war planning from the perspective of one who in the early 1960s helped develop the u. The untold story of the pentagon papers coconspirators the. Books by daniel ellsberg author of the doomsday machine.
Interview with daniel ellsberg published in january 1990 edition of the soviet american news. Starring meryl streep and tom hanks, the post deals with ellsberg s 1971 leak of the pentagon papers, which revealed presidents from truman to nixon lying about the vietnam war. Daniel ellsberg, who lives in kensington, is a character in spielbergs film the post. Daniel ellsberg was a consultant with the pentagon and the white house, where he drafted plans for nuclear war. The doomsday machine actvism interview with daniel. Dec 04, 2017 in 1971, daniel ellsberg leaked the pentagon papers to the press in hopes they would help end the vietnam war.
Take the uncertainty of the past year and extend it over a decade, and you have an approximation of what the 1960s were like. The secret history of the vietnam war neil sheehan, herick smith, e. More than 45 years after he became famous for leaking the pentagon papers and earning the wrath of president richard nixon and his plumbers, daniel ellsberg is. He looks back on his early days as a national security analyst in the doomsday machine. Ellsberg was also the source of the new york timess 7,000page copy of the pentagon papers, because of his friendship with and respect for the timess legendary vietnam reporter, neil sheehan. Daniel ellsberg was in 1971 a former cold war hardliner daniel ellsberg who after years of working for the government advising its military policy made history by releasing the pentagon papers a 7,000page topsecret study of u. Confessions of a nuclear war planner, ellsberg reveals for the first time copies of topsecret documents from his nuclear studiesan entire second set of papers in addition to the pentagon papers. Pentagon papers whistleblower daniel ellsberg tells paul jay of theanalysis, the danger of nuclear war is as present today as during the cold war. For most people, daniel ellsberg is known mainly for or only for the pentagon papers he leaked in 1971. In 1971 former cold war hardliner daniel ellsberg made history by releasing the pentagon papers a 7,000page topsecret study of u. Keeping secrets was my career, daniel ellsberg says. Late wednesday, the 16th, bagdikian flew to boston, and first thing thursday morning, he flew back with two firstclass seats, one for himself and one. Ellsberg was back in the public eye recently in relation to the epic 10part pbs series on vietnam, which included a lengthy segment on the pentagon papers but his absence from the series as an interview subject drew criticism. But there are other classified documents he wishes hed leaked, as he tells us in this book.
It set in motion a landmark first amendment case and led to. May 24, 2010 an interview with pentagon papers whistleblower daniel ellsberg. Jan 28, 2018 washington daniel ellsberg, the military analyst turned activist whose leak of the pentagon papers in 1971 is the backstory to the post, is a fan of the steven spielberg movie. Dec 21, 2017 the book is an account of americas nuclear program in the 1960s drawn from ellsbergs experience as a consultant to the department of defense and the white house, drafting secretary robert mcnamaras plans for nuclear war. An interview with daniel ellsberg the berkeley group. The official whose assessment was paraphrased by nixons chiefofstaff was donald rumsfeld who now, as secretary of defense, is among those chiefly responsible. An interview with daniel ellsberg washington independent. The rolling stone interview the man who leaked the pentagon papers talks about how much mr.
Daniel ellsberg was interviewed for pieces in both the new york times and cnn on the anniversary, and on the governments decision to declassify the papers. Nov 14, 2019 daniel ellsberg left gives a news conference regarding the pentagon papers, jan. His leak of what became known as the pentagon papers, a secret history of the vietnam war written for the american government revealing the nations duplicity in the asian military action, helped turn the tide of public opinion. Nixon likes to win how he changed our form of government, used awesome police powers. Former military analyst daniel ellsberg comes out in support. Daniel ellsberg is a former united states military analyst who, while employed by the rand corporation, precipitated a national political controversy in 1971 when he released the pentagon papers, a topsecret pentagon study of us government decisionmaking about the vietnam war, to the new york times and other newspapers. Ellsberg s work as a whistleblower helped exposed the failure. Daniel ellsberg the man who leaked the pentagon papers talks about why five american presidents lied about vietnam and how to get the truth on iraq. Ellsberg is the author of secrets, a book about his experiences leaking the pentagon papers.
Depends on whom you ask, but theres no denying the impact daniel ellsberg has had on american history. Daniel ellsberg, a harvard graduate, exmarine, and rand corporation analyst, was one of the whiz kids recruited to serve in the pentagon during the johnson administration. The next book i plan to purchase is the pentagon papers, written by neil sheehan, the journalist who daniel ellsberg leaked the 7000 page war papers too. His name became synonymous with the importance of the press freedoms granted by the first amendment to the u. A memoir of vietnam and the pentagon papers 2002, and risk, ambiguity and decision 2001. I didnt lose the aptitude for that when i put out the pentagon papers. Daniel ellsberg s most popular book is voices of a peoples history of the united states. In 1971, ellsberg made headlines around the world when he released the pentagon papers. June th, 2011, marks the 40th anniversary of the initial publication of the pentagon papers in the new york times daniel ellsberg was interviewed for pieces in both the new york times and cnn on the anniversary, and on the governments decision to declassify the papers in the new york times piece, daniel said its absurd.
Daniel ellsberg on the key scene that didnt make the post. Ellsberg, in upcoming book, warns of nuclear dangers in. Daniel ellsberg is a former us military analyst who in 1971 leaked the pentagon papers, which revealed how the us public had been misled about the vietnam war. Constitution after he leaked a secret report on the vietnam war known as the pentagon papers to journalists.
December 05, 2017 before daniel ellsberg became the iconic whistleblower of his time with the 1971 release of the pentagon papers, which revealed the history of the united states involvement in vietnam, he had a decision to make. The book is an account of americas nuclear program in the 1960s drawn from ellsberg s experience as a consultant to the department of defense and the white house, drafting secretary robert mcnamaras plans for nuclear war. An interview with pentagon papers whistleblower daniel. Ellsberg, in upcoming book, warns of nuclear dangers in the. The true story of the leaking of the pentagon papers, the event which inspired steven spielbergs feature film the post in 1971 former cold war hardliner daniel ellsberg made history by releasing the pentagon papers a 7,000page topsecret study of u. Nuclear war planner reflects on the cold war and assesses. He has been married to patricia ellsberg since august 8, 1970. Jan 29, 2018 the untold story of the pentagon papers coconspirators. After finding this book quite by accident while browsing through the wonderful concord bookstore the other day, i was astounded to find how relevant and interesting a story author daniel ellsberg manages to conjure up after all this time regarding his legendary experience leading up to and including the leaking, release and publication of the infamous pentagon papers. We are convinced that inside information is superior to public. The film is called the most dangerous man in america.
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