Daniel Ellsberg

Daniel Ellsberg
Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer · Public domain · source
Name	Daniel Ellsberg
Birth date	April 7, 1931
Birth place	Chicago, Illinois
Death date	June 16, 2023
Death place	Kensington, California
Occupation	Economist, RAND Corporation researcher, whistleblower, activist

Daniel Ellsberg was a prominent American economist, researcher, and whistleblower, best known for leaking the Pentagon Papers to The New York Times in 1971, which exposed the United States government's secret involvement in the Vietnam War. Ellsberg's actions had a significant impact on the Nixon Administration and contributed to the growing Anti-war movement in the United States. He was a key figure in the American Civil Liberties Union and worked closely with Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, and other notable activists. Ellsberg's story was also featured in the Academy Award-winning documentary The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers.

● Early Life and Education

Daniel Ellsberg was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Harry Ellsberg and Carol Ellsberg, and grew up in Detroit, Michigan, and Cranston, Rhode Island. He attended Harvard University, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Economics and later his Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University. Ellsberg's academic background and research experience at Harvard University and the RAND Corporation influenced his work on Nuclear deterrence theory and Game theory, which was also studied by John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern. Ellsberg's interest in International relations and Foreign policy led him to work with notable scholars like Henry Kissinger and McGeorge Bundy at Harvard University.

● Career

Ellsberg began his career as a researcher at the RAND Corporation, where he worked on Nuclear strategy and Defense policy projects, collaborating with experts like Herman Kahn and Albert Wohlstetter. He later joined the United States Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer and worked on Vietnam War policy under Secretary of State Dean Rusk and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. Ellsberg's experience in the Pentagon and the State Department gave him access to classified information, which he would later use to expose the United States government's secret involvement in the Vietnam War. Ellsberg also worked with Edward Lansdale and William Bundy on Counterinsurgency strategies in South Vietnam.

● The Pentagon Papers

In 1971, Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers, a secret United States Department of Defense study on the Vietnam War, to The New York Times. The leak exposed the Nixon Administration's secret bombing campaigns in Cambodia and Laos, as well as the Gulf of Tonkin incident, which was used to justify the United States' escalation of the Vietnam War. The leak also revealed the Johnson Administration's knowledge of the war's unpopularity and the Pentagon's doubts about the war's winnability. Ellsberg's actions were supported by Anthony Russo, Neil Sheehan, and other journalists, who helped to publish the Pentagon Papers in The New York Times and other newspapers, including the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times.

● Trial and Aftermath

Ellsberg was charged with Espionage Act violations and faced trial in 1973. The trial was widely publicized, with John Mitchell, Richard Nixon, and H.R. Haldeman testifying against Ellsberg. However, the trial was dismissed due to Government misconduct, including the Plumbers' break-in at Ellsberg's psychiatrist's office and the Nixon Administration's attempts to discredit Ellsberg. The dismissal of the charges was seen as a major victory for Ellsberg and the American Civil Liberties Union, which had supported his case. Ellsberg's trial also drew attention to the Watergate scandal and the Impeachment of Richard Nixon.

● Later Life and Activism

After the trial, Ellsberg continued to be an active advocate for Whistleblower protection and Government transparency. He worked with organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the Freedom of the Press Foundation to support Whistleblowers like Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning. Ellsberg also wrote several books, including Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers and The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner, which detailed his experiences as a Nuclear strategist and his concerns about Nuclear war. Ellsberg's work was recognized with numerous awards, including the Gandhi Peace Award and the Olof Palme Prize.

● Legacy

Daniel Ellsberg's legacy as a Whistleblower and an advocate for Government transparency continues to inspire activists and scholars around the world. His actions in leaking the Pentagon Papers have been recognized as a key moment in the Anti-war movement and a significant challenge to Executive power in the United States. Ellsberg's work has also influenced notable figures like Julian Assange and Glenn Greenwald, who have continued to push for Government transparency and Whistleblower protection. Ellsberg's story has been featured in numerous films and documentaries, including The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers and The Pentagon Papers (film), and has been recognized with awards like the Academy Award and the Emmy Award. Category:American whistleblowers