June 1971Reputable sourceWell documented
The Pentagon Papers
On the timeline · around June 1971 ·
What happened
In 1971 analyst Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers, a secret Defense Department history revealing that successive administrations had misled the public about the war. The Supreme Court upheld newspapers' right to publish them.
Why it matters
The leak confirmed the government had lied for years, cementing public distrust and marking a landmark victory for press freedom.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Pentagon Papers · Reputable source
Related timelines
- American History → — Press freedom and the credibility gap