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controversial war had divided the country. Opinions and arguments
about whether the US involvement in Vietnam was warranted occupied the
minds of American citizens. The people were hungry for information
regarding the war. The Pentagon Papers, somehow leaked to the New York
Times and Washington Post, fulfilled this need of the people for
information. The government's assumption of prior restraint seemed to
be a major blow to free speech and a sharp addition to the power of
the government. The appellate courts' indecisiveness brought the
ultimate decision to the Supreme Court. There was a deep division of
opinion even among the Justices, and their decision landmarked what
had been previously uncharted waters. The background to this landmark
case has at its roots U.S. policies in Southeast Asia. These policies,
which eventually led to the Vietnam War, were sharply criticized in a
study authorized by Secretary of State Robert S. McNamara in 1967.
This 47-volume study, officially named History of United States
Decision-Making Process on Viet Nam Policy, have come to be known as
the Pentagon Papers. These papers detailed the entire history of our
involvement in Vietnam from World War II to the beginning of the Paris
peace talks. Daniel Ellsberg, an employee of a California think tank,
was given access to this study. This think tank held Defense
Department contracts to analyze American strategy in Vietnam. Ellsberg
had become convinced that our involvement in Vietnam was a mistake,
and that American forces should be withdrawn immediately. Ellsberg and
a man named Anthony Russo then photocopied the papers in a Los Angeles
advertising office. Believing that these papers strongly supported his
views, Ellsberg delivered a copy of the Pentagon Papers to Senator
William Fulbright, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Still however, neither party made the papers public. Somehow copies of
Names mentioned in this term paper
Daniel Ellsberg, Anthony Russo, Chief Justice Burger, Robert S. McNamara, Judge Gurfein, John Mitchell, Senator William Fulbright, Marshall, President Diem, Nam Policy, Matt Byrne, Nixon,
Organizations included in this research paper
federal government, Supreme Court, New York Times, Pentagon, US Court of Appeals, Washington Post, Defense Department, Congress, Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
Locations mentioned in this essay
United States, Vietnam, America, Minnesota, Southeast Asia, Paris, Los Angeles, California, District of Columbia,
Health Conditions mentioned in this paper
seizures,
Keywords talked about in this paper
Supreme Court, prior restraint, United States, New York, Pentagon Papers, federal government, Vietnam, the pentagon papers, landmark case, appellate court, Anthony Russo, Daniel Ellsberg, Washington Post, federal district court, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, court decision, state government, the new york times, government property, US Court, World War II, Paris peace talks, Vietnam War, Chief Justice Burger, South Vietnam, extreme danger, president nixon, President Diem, federal judge, think tank, American citizens, uncharted waters, Viet Nam, smear campaign, American forces, William Fulbright, Southeast Asia, free speech, judicial branch, Decision Making Process, judicial system, Matt Byrne, not proven, Los Angeles, Espionage Act, Defense Department, Attorney General, executive branch, free expression, free press,
