Daniel Ellsberg

Date of Birth: April 7, 1931

Zodiac Sign: Aries

Date of Death: June 16, 2023

Biography

Daniel Ellsberg was an American economist, military analyst, and whistleblower, best known for his role in releasing the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret Pentagon study of U.S. government decision-making in relation to the Vietnam War, to The New York Times and other newspapers in 1971. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Ellsberg was a Harvard graduate and served as a U.S. Marine Corps officer before earning a Ph.D. in Economics. He worked at the RAND Corporation and the Department of Defense, where he gained access to the Pentagon Papers. His actions are often credited with hastening the end of the Vietnam War and igniting a national debate about government transparency and accountability. Ellsberg remained an active speaker and writer on issues of government secrecy, war, and social justice throughout his life.

5 Interesting Facts about Daniel Ellsberg

1. Daniel Ellsberg was initially a strong supporter of the Vietnam War before he became disillusioned and decided to leak the Pentagon Papers.

2. He was charged under the Espionage Act of 1917, but the charges were later dismissed due to government misconduct and illegal evidence gathering.

3. Ellsberg’s leak of the Pentagon Papers was one of the pivotal moments leading to the Watergate scandal and Richard Nixon’s resignation.

4. In addition to his work as a whistleblower, Ellsberg was a vocal advocate for nuclear disarmament and was arrested several times for his activism.

5. Ellsberg authored several books, including “Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers” and “The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner.”