United States of America · Warfare / Vietnam War, 2nd. Chronological records rendered directly from the World History Database.
Instead of using existing Defense Department historians, McNamara assigned his close aide and Assistant Secretary of Defense John T. McNaughton to collect the papers. McNaughton died in an air accident one month after work began in June 1967, but the project continued under the direction of Defense Department official Leslie H. Gelb
Has access to the complete set of documents which reveal that the Government had knowledge all along that the war would not likely be won, and that continuing the war would lead to many times more casualties than admtted. Contributes to a top-secret study of classified documents regarding the conduct of the Vietnam War that had been commissioned by Defence Secretary McNamara
Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara created the Vietnam Study Task Force on June 17, 1967, for the purpose of writing an "encyclopedic history of the Vietnam War". McNamara claimed that he wanted to leave a written record for historians, to prevent policy errors in future administrations
McNamara neglected to inform either President Lyndon Johnson or Secretary of State Dean Rusk about the study. One report claimed that McNamara planned to give the work to his friend Robert F. Kennedy, who sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1968. McNamara later denied this, although he admitted that he should have informed Johnson and Rusk
It was classified Top Secret-Sensitive, although Sensitive was not an official classification and only indicated that access should be controlled.
McNamara left the Defense Department in February 1968, and his successor Clark M. Clifford received the finished study on January 15, 1969, five days before Richard Nixon's inauguration – although Clifford claimed he never read it.
The study contained 3,000 pages of historical analysis and 4,000 pages of original government documents in 47 volumes.
It was classified Top Secret-Sensitive, although Sensitive was not an official classification and only indicated that access should be controlled.
McNamara left the Defense Department in February 1968, and his successor Clark M. Clifford received the finished study on January 15, 1969, five days before Richard Nixon's inauguration – although Clifford claimed he never read it.
The study contained 3,000 pages of historical analysis and 4,000 pages of original government documents in 47 volumes.
With the assistance of his former RAND Corporation colleague, Anthony Russo, Ellsberg secretly made several sets of photocopies of the classified documents he had access to - these became known as the Pentagon Papers
With the assistance of his former RAND Corporation colleague, Anthony Russo, Ellsberg secretly made several sets of photocopies of the classified documents he had access to - these became known as the Pentagon Papers
For 15 days, the Times was prevented from publishing its articles by court order requested by the Nixon administration, meanwhile, Ellsberg leaks the documents to The Washington Post and 17 other newspapers. Ellsberg releases the documents to New York Times correspondent Neil Sheehan & On Sunday, June 13, 1971, the Times publishes the first of nine excerpts and commentaries on the 7,000 page collection
Ellsberg releases the documents to New York Times correspondent Neil Sheehan & On Sunday, June 13, 1971, the Times publishes the first of nine excerpts and commentaries on the 7,000 page collection
In February 1971, Ellsberg discussed the study with The New York Times reporter Neil Sheehan, and gave 43 of the volumes to him in March
In February 1971, Ellsberg discussed the study with The New York Times reporter Neil Sheehan, and gave 43 of the volumes to him in March
The New York Times began publishing excerpts on June 13, 1971; the first article in the series was titled "Vietnam Archive: Pentagon Study Traces Three Decades of Growing US Involvement". The study was dubbed The Pentagon Papers during the resulting media publicity. Street protests, political controversy, and lawsuits followed
On June 18, 1971, The Washington Post began publishing its own series of articles based upon the Pentagon Papers; Ellsberg gave portions to editor Ben Bradlee
On June 18, 1971, The Washington Post began publishing its own series of articles based upon the Pentagon Papers; Ellsberg gave portions to editor Ben Bradlee
Admits to delivering the Pentagon Papers to New York Times
The Supreme Court ordered publication of the Times to resume freely (New York Times Co. v. United States). Although the Times did not reveal Ellsberg as their source, he went into hiding for 13 days afterwards, suspecting that the evidence would point to him as the source of the theft
This factsheet is generated from stored World History Database records matching the country, broad category, detailed category and exact Event value shown above. Duplicate display records are collapsed; database wording is otherwise preserved. Source provenance varies by record, so formal academic citation should be checked against the relevant primary source, archive or specialist historical reference.