**Daniel Ellsberg, Whistleblower Who Exposed Government Secrets on Vietnam War, Dies at 92**
Daniel Ellsberg, the famous whistleblower who leaked the Pentagon Papers, revealing the lies and deceit of the U.S. government during the Vietnam War, has passed away at the age of 92. His family confirmed his death on Friday morning. In the early 1970s, Ellsberg, a Harvard graduate and former government consultant on Vietnam, made the courageous decision to leak the classified defense documents to the media. This act not only exposed the government’s doubts about the war but also led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation.
**A Well-Placed Insider Turns Against the War**
Daniel Ellsberg was highly respected within the government-military elite, valued for his discretion and trusted by officials from both Democratic and Republican administrations. However, like many Americans, Ellsberg became disillusioned with the Vietnam War and its misleading justifications. Unlike others, he had a unique opportunity to make a difference, being one of the few insiders who had access to classified information.
**The Conscience of a Generation**
Daniel Ellsberg embodied an individual of conscience, driven by a strong sense of right and wrong. Described by his friend, journalist David Halberstam, as highly intelligent and deeply sensitive, Ellsberg saw political events as moral issues that required accountability. His actions and the release of the Pentagon Papers marked a turning point, highlighting the decline of American idealism in foreign policy during the 1960s and 1970s.
**The Pentagon Papers: A Damning Indictment**
Commissioned by Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara in 1967, the Pentagon Papers aimed to provide a comprehensive history of the U.S. and Vietnam. However, the papers exposed a series of government failures and secrets. They revealed that the U.S. had defied a settlement prohibiting foreign military presence in Vietnam, questioned the legitimacy of the South Vietnamese government, and secretly expanded the war beyond Vietnam’s borders. The papers also documented the Johnson administration’s attempts to escalate the war, going against the advice of the intelligence community.
**Ellsberg’s Revelations and the Fallout**
When Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers to the media, his identity became the subject of speculation. He turned himself in to authorities but quickly became a hero to the anti-war movement and a traitor to supporters of the war. The release of the papers not only indicted specific presidents and parties but also undermined public trust in the government. Determined to punish Ellsberg, President Nixon established a rogue team known as the “plumbers” to prevent future leaks. However, their actions, including the Watergate break-in of the Democratic Party’s national headquarters, ultimately led to Nixon’s own downfall.
**Ellsberg’s Legacy**
Despite facing federal charges of espionage and theft, Daniel Ellsberg managed to avoid jail time due to Nixon’s rage and the illegal actions of those involved in the case. Ellsberg later became a prominent activist and writer, focusing on issues such as nuclear weapons and government secrecy. He believed that his actions contributed to Nixon’s resignation and prevented further escalation of the war in Vietnam. His story was depicted in the 2009 documentary “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers.”
**Remembering Daniel Ellsberg**
Daniel Ellsberg was born in Chicago in 1931 and grew up in suburban Detroit. His experiences during World War II and his alignment with the Cold War liberal ideology heavily influenced his views on civil rights and containing the Soviet Union. Throughout his life, Ellsberg remained committed to fighting for justice and exposing abuses of power. His passing marks the end of an era, but his legacy as a whistleblower and advocate for transparency will continue to inspire future generations.
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