The Pentagon Papers

The Pentagon Papers, a classified Department of Defense study, revealed the United States’ political and military involvement in Vietnam from 1945 to 1967. Their publication by major newspapers in 1971 ignited a controversy that had far-reaching implications for the Nixon administration, public opinion, and legal precedents concerning press freedom. This article delves into the contents of the Pentagon Papers, the details and fallout of their publication, the impact on the Nixon administration, and the Supreme Court’s involvement, culminating in the full release of the papers in 2011.

The Pentagon Papers were commissioned in 1967 by then-Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, who sought an exhaustive history of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Spanning 7,000 pages, the study highlighted numerous deceptions by successive U.S. administrations, including those of Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson. Key revelations included:

– Escalation of the Vietnam conflict without public knowledge.

– Discrepancies between public statements and actual military strategies.

– Government awareness of the improbability of a U.S. victory as early as 1965.

– Covert operations that were not disclosed to Congress or the American public.

Daniel Ellsberg, a former military analyst, was instrumental in leaking the Pentagon Papers. Initially a supporter of the Vietnam War, Ellsberg’s views shifted dramatically, prompting him to photocopy the documents and share them with The New York Times. The Times began publishing excerpts on June 13, 1971. The Nixon administration swiftly sought an injunction to prevent further publication, citing national security concerns. Despite the government’s efforts, The Washington Post also began publishing the documents, leading to a series of legal battles.

The publication of the Pentagon Papers sparked significant controversy, centering on issues of national security versus the public’s right to know. The Nixon administration’s injunction against The New York Times was a historic test of press freedom. The case quickly escalated to the Supreme Court, resulting in the landmark decision of New York Times Co. v. United States (1971). The Court ruled 6-3 in favor of the newspapers, asserting that the government had not met the heavy burden of proof required for prior restraint.

The release of the Pentagon Papers severely damaged the credibility of the Nixon administration and exacerbated the climate of distrust between the government and the public. Although the documents primarily concerned previous administrations, Nixon’s aggressive response to their publication contributed to a growing sense of governmental overreach and paranoia. This atmosphere played a significant role in the subsequent Watergate scandal, further tarnishing Nixon’s legacy.

The publication of the Pentagon Papers had a profound effect on public opinion. It fueled skepticism toward the Vietnam War and increased public awareness of the government’s propensity for secrecy and deception. The revelations galvanized the anti-war movement, intensifying protests and calls for an end to U.S. involvement in Vietnam. The trust between the American people and their government was fundamentally shaken, with lasting implications for future administrations.

In 2011, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) fully declassified the Pentagon Papers, making them available to the public in their entirety. This release provided historians and scholars with a comprehensive understanding of the study, offering new insights into the U.S. government’s decision-making processes during the Vietnam War. The public’s reaction in 2011 was markedly different from the initial publication in 1971, reflecting a broader acceptance of the necessity for governmental transparency and historical accountability.

The Pentagon Papers remain a seminal event in American history, highlighting the tension between national security and the public’s right to know. Their publication underscored the importance of a free press and set a critical legal precedent against prior restraint. The fallout from the papers’ release contributed to the unraveling of the Nixon administration and reshaped public perceptions of the Vietnam War. The full declassification in 2011 reaffirmed the enduring value of transparency and the importance of revisiting historical events to understand their impact fully.

• Sheehan, Neil. “The Pentagon Papers: The Secret History of the Vietnam War.” The New York Times, June 1971. The New York Times
• Ellsberg, Daniel. “Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers.” Viking, 2002. Penguin Random House
• Supreme Court of the United States. “New York Times Co. v. United States,” 403 U.S. 713 (1971). Legal Information Institute
• National Archives and Records Administration. “The Pentagon Papers,” 2011 Full Release. National Archives