Daniel Ellsberg, the legendary American whistleblower responsible for the Pentagon Papers leak in 1971, died at 92. His efforts in publishing the Papers highlighted the government’s long-standing misgivings and dishonesty about the Vietnam War. Furthermore, his allegations prompted President Richard Nixon to take punitive steps, which ultimately led to Nixon’s resignation.
According to a letter from his family, which was shared by spokeswoman Julia Pacetti, Daniel Ellsberg, who had revealed in February that he was battling terminal pancreatic cancer, passed away on Friday morning.
Who Was Daniel Ellsberg?
Daniel Ellsberg was a former military analyst and whistleblower from the United States. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, on April 7, 1931. Ellsberg was best known for his role in the release of the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret investigation into US government decision-making during the Vietnam War.
Ellsberg was a military analyst at the RAND Corporation at the time, a think tank that offered research and analysis to the US government. He had access to confidential records detailing the government’s involvement in the Vietnam War and exposing a pattern of deception by successive administrations.
The Pentagon Papers
Ellsberg disclosed the Pentagon Papers to The New York Times and other major publications in 1971. The release of these documents was a turning point in public opinion on the Vietnam War, revealing the magnitude of US government misinformation and leading to more significant opposition to the war effort.
Furthermore, Ellsberg was charged with treason for his role in leaking the confidential information. His case, however, was rejected because of government malfeasance, including illegal surveillance of his talks. His actions, and subsequent prosecution, ignited a nationwide debate about government transparency and whistleblowers’ roles.
Trials
After disclosing the Pentagon Papers, Daniel Ellsberg faced federal trials and theft accusations in both Boston and Los Angeles. These charges carried a maximum punishment of more than 100 years in prison. However, he was spared imprisonment in part because of President Nixon’s and his colleagues’ solid acts and rage. Because the government had wiretapped discussions between a defence witness and his counsel, the trial in Boston resulted in a mistrial. Charges were dropped in the Los Angeles trial after it was revealed that White House “plumbers” G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt had broken into Ellsberg’s Beverly Hills psychiatrist’s office. The judge, Matthew Byrne, ruled that the events surrounding the case had tainted the prosecution irreversibly.
Ellsberg believes that if Nixon’s obsession with him had not overwhelmed him, the president would have stayed in office and continued the bombing campaign in Vietnam.
The documentary film “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” (2009) covered Ellsberg’s narrative. The film premiered on the West Coast, near the Rand Corporation headquarters, where Ellsberg had formerly worked. Despite his best efforts, none of his former coworkers attended the screening.
To conclude, the release of the Pentagon Papers and Daniel Ellsberg’s whistleblower had a long-term impact on the public’s trust in the government. It contributed to increased scrutiny of government acts. He is widely considered one of the most influential whistleblowers in American history. And also as a symbol of the value of transparency and accountability.
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