The Pentagon Papers: The Secret History of the Vietnam War

Book Synopsis: “The WikiLeaks of its day” (Time) is as relevant today in the time of Trump as it was in the time of Richard Nixon. “The most significant leaks of classified material in American history.” –Washington Post
Not Fake News! The basis for the 2018 film The Post by Academy Award-winning director Steven Spielberg, The Pentagon Papers are a series of articles, documents, and studies examining the Johnson Administration’s lies to the public about the extent of US involvement in the Vietnam War, bringing to light shocking conclusions about America’s true role in the conflict.
Published by The New York Times in 1971, The Pentagon Papers riveted an already deeply divided nation with startling and disturbing revelations about the United States' involvement in Vietnam. Their release demonstrated that our government had systematically lied to both the public and to Congress. They remain relevant today as a reminder of the importance of a free press and all First Amendment rights.
This incomparable, 848-page volume includes:
The Truman and Eisenhower Years: 1945-1960 by Fox Butterfield
Origins of the Insurgency in South Vietnam by Fox Butterfield
The Kennedy Years: 1961-1963 by Hedrick Smith
The Overthrow of Ngo Dinh Diem: May-November, 1963 by Hedrick Smith
The Covert War and Tonkin Gulf: February-August, 1964 by Neil Sheehan
The Consensus to Bomb North Vietnam: August, 1964-February, 1965 by Neil Sheehan
The Launching of the Ground War: March-July, 1965 by Neil Sheehan
The Buildup: July, 1965-September, 1966 by Fox Butterfield
Secretary McNamara’s Disenchantment: October, 1966-May, 1967 by Hedrick Smith
The Tet Offensive and the Turnaround by E. W. Kenworthy
Analysis and Comment
Court Records
Biographies of Key Figures
With a new foreword by James L. Greenfield, this edition of the Pulitzer Prize-winning story is sure to provoke discussion about free press and government deception and shed some light on issues in the past and the present so that we can better understand and improve the future.