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6/13/1971 - The NY Times began publishing the “Pentagon Papers”—a series of articles based on a study of the U.S. role in Indochina from WWII until May 1968.  Like the revelations of Edward Snowden in the 21st Century, these papers demonstrated that the government approved version of events was far from the truth.  Indeed by 1968 many military experts already had concluded the war in Vietnam was unwinnable.

Although the revelations concerned events that preceded his administration, Nixon went all out in an attempt to suppress them.  Eventually the Supreme Court will side with the Times as protected by the First Amendment.

I graduated college in June of 1971...when I called the draft board and asked when my notice would be sent out they told me it already had.  Before receiving it I applied for and (after a bit of a struggle) was enlisted in the Coast Guard.  On the way to boot camp the following month I began reading the Pentagon Papers.


For more info:

https://theconversation.com/how-richard-nixons-obsession-with-daniel-ellsberg-and-the-pentagon-papers-sowed-the-seeds-for-the-presidents-downfall-159113


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