Pentagon Papers

1971

Daniel Ellsberg

released the Pentagon papers that was created by the U.S. Defense Department, which had all the information about the relations Vietnam from 1945-1967

U.S.

Ellsberg, after helping write the Department of Defense history of the war in Vietnam he decided to make the top-secret document public

-Nixon attempting to stop further publications of the document -but was denied as it was against the constitution specifically the first amendment (freedom of press). --Nixon tried imprisoning Ellsberg for violating the Espionage act -but judge called off the trial because the watergate scandal had just unfolded - Once the public read this document it created national sensation

-events made people disagree with the war and support the anti-war movement -made society view the government as inhumane beings who should not be trusted.