Revelaed: Daniel Ellsberg Illness and Health Before Death

Daniel Ellsberg illness and health before death are given here, on his Facebook page, Daniel Ellsberg revealed that he had been diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer at the age of 91.

Who was Daniel Ellsberg?

Daniel Ellsberg, an influential American political activist, economist, and military analyst, made headlines in 1971 when he leaked the Pentagon Papers—a classified study conducted by the Pentagon that examined the decision-making processes of the U.S. government during the Vietnam War. While working at the RAND Corporation, Ellsberg provided these papers to major newspapers like The New York Times and The Washington Post, sparking significant national controversy.

In January 1973, Ellsberg faced charges under the Espionage Act of 1917, along with accusations of theft and conspiracy, which carried a maximum sentence of 115 years. However, due to government misconduct, illegal acquisition of evidence, and a strong defense led by Leonard Boudin and Harvard Law School professor Charles Nesson, Judge William Matthew Byrne Jr. dismissed all charges against Ellsberg in May 1973.

Throughout his life, Ellsberg received recognition for his contributions. In 2006, he was honored with the Right Livelihood Award. He also gained renown for formulating the Ellsberg paradox, a significant example in decision theory. Ellsberg devoted extensive study to nuclear weapons and nuclear policy and expressed support for figures such as WikiLeaks, Chelsea Manning, and Edward Snowden. In 2018, he was awarded the Olof Palme Prize for his exceptional moral courage and profound humanism. Tragically, Daniel Ellsberg passed away on June 16, 2023.

Daniel Ellsberg Illness and Health Before Death

Shortly before his passing, Daniel Ellsberg revealed that he had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and had only a few months left to live. At the age of 91, Ellsberg shared the news on his Facebook page, explaining that he had received the diagnosis on February 17 after undergoing medical scans. Given the prognosis, he made the difficult decision not to pursue chemotherapy and expressed his intention to seek hospice care when necessary.

Reflecting on his life, Ellsberg expressed gratitude and acknowledged a sense of fortune despite the circumstances. The Pentagon Papers, a meticulous collection of documents exposing the decision-making processes and strategies of the Vietnam War, revealed the gradual escalation of American involvement. These papers shed light on the overconfidence of political leaders and top military officials regarding the prospects of the United States, as well as the deliberate misrepresentation of successes against the North Vietnamese.

As a former consultant to the Defense Department, Ellsberg provided the Pentagon Papers to journalist Neil Sheehan, who broke the story for The New York Times in June 1971. However, Sheehan passed away in 2021. Sheehan surreptitiously obtained the documents from Ellsberg’s Massachusetts apartment, secretly making copies of thousands of pages and delivering them to the Times.

In response to the publication of the Pentagon Papers, the Nixon administration obtained a court injunction, citing national security concerns and halting further dissemination. This action ignited a vigorous debate on First Amendment rights, which eventually reached the Supreme Court. On June 30, 1971, the court ruled 6-3 in favor of allowing publication, leading The New York Times and The Washington Post to continue reporting on the papers. The Times was subsequently awarded the Pulitzer Prize for public service for their coverage.

Following the publication, the Nixon administration sought to discredit Ellsberg. Several aides of President Nixon orchestrated a break-in at the office of Ellsberg’s psychiatrist in Beverly Hills, aiming to gather information that would undermine his credibility.

Ellsberg faced charges of theft, conspiracy, and violations of the Espionage Act, but his case ended in a mistrial due to the emergence of evidence related to government-authorized wiretapping and break-ins.

In his Facebook post, Ellsberg expressed his gratitude for his life and acknowledged a sense of fortune. When he copied the Pentagon Papers in 1969, he believed that he would spend the rest of his life in prison. He would have willingly accepted that fate if it meant hastening the end of the Vietnam War, despite its seeming improbability. Nonetheless, Ellsberg noted that his actions, unforeseen in their consequences due to Nixon’s illicit responses, ultimately contributed to a shortened duration of the war.

Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg dies aged 92 https://t.co/h5jURR0K83

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) June 16, 2023

Story of Leaked Pentagon Papers

In late 1969, Daniel Ellsberg and Anthony Russo undertook a covert operation to copy classified documents known as the Pentagon Papers.

The Pentagon Papers were a damning revelation, exposing the government’s early knowledge that the Vietnam War was unlikely to be won. The papers also revealed a systematic pattern of deception by the Johnson Administration, misleading both the public and Congress.

After copying the documents, Ellsberg sought out individuals who had influenced his changing perspective on the war, including Randy Kehler and poet Gary Snyder. Through discussions with Snyder, Ellsberg came to recognize the accuracy of Snyder’s analysis of the Vietnam situation and the necessity for action.

In 1970, Ellsberg made covert efforts to persuade sympathetic U.S. Senators, such as J. William Fulbright and George McGovern, to release the Pentagon Papers on the Senate floor, as Senators enjoyed immunity from prosecution for their statements made within the Senate chamber.

Ellsberg selectively shared copies of the documents with trusted individuals, including scholars at the Institute for Policy Studies. He also provided the papers to Neil Sheehan of The New York Times, who based his reporting on the materials obtained directly from Ellsberg and his contacts at the Institute for Policy Studies.

On June 13, 1971, The New York Times published the first of nine excerpts from the 7,000-page collection of the Pentagon Papers. However, the Nixon administration swiftly obtained a court order to halt further publication, leading to a temporary suspension. While evading an FBI manhunt, Ellsberg leaked the documents to The Washington Post. On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of The New York Times, allowing publication to resume (New York Times Co. v. United States). Just before the Supreme Court’s decision, Ellsberg publicly acknowledged his role in leaking the Pentagon Papers.

On June 29, 1971, U.S. Senator Mike Gravel of Alaska, having received copies of the Pentagon Papers from Ellsberg via Ben Bagdikian of The Washington Post, entered 4,100 pages of the documents into the record of his Subcommittee on Public Buildings and Grounds.

The release of the Pentagon Papers caused significant political embarrassment for the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations. A recorded conversation in Nixon’s Oval Office on June 14, 1971, captured H. R. Haldeman acknowledging the erosion of public trust in government due to the situation.

The Nixon administration’s efforts to restrain publication marked the first successful curtailment of a major newspaper’s publishing rights by the federal government since the U.S. Civil War. However, Ellsberg’s actions set in motion a series of events that ultimately led to the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling protecting freedom of the press (The New York Times Co. v. United States). The release of the Pentagon Papers also played a role in the subsequent Watergate scandal.

Through his courageous disclosure of the Pentagon Papers, Daniel Ellsberg became an inadvertent historical figure, setting off a chain of events that intertwined Vietnam and Watergate into a single narrative from 1961 to 1975.

Daniel Ellsberg Early Life

Daniel Ellsberg was born on April 7, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois. His parents, Harry and Adele Ellsberg, were Ashkenazi Jews who had converted to Christian Science, although the family identified more with their Jewish heritage than any particular religious affiliation. He spent his formative years in Detroit and attended the Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills. While his mother hoped he would become a concert pianist, Ellsberg stopped playing the piano after a tragic accident in which his mother and sister were killed when his father fell asleep while driving.

Ellsberg pursued higher education at Harvard College, where he received a scholarship. In 1952, he graduated with the highest honors, summa cum laude, earning an A.B. degree in economics. He then received a fellowship from the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, which allowed him to spend a year at King’s College, Cambridge. Initially studying economics, Ellsberg later shifted his focus and pursued a Ph.D. in the same field. After his time in Cambridge, he returned to Harvard.

In 1954, Ellsberg enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where he served as a first lieutenant in the 2nd Marine Division. He held positions as a platoon leader and company commander. After three years of military service, Ellsberg received an honorable discharge in 1957. Following his military career, he resumed his studies at Harvard as a Junior Fellow in the Society of Fellows for a two-year period.

Daniel Ellsberg Marital Life

Daniel Ellsberg had two marriages during his lifetime. His first marriage took place in 1952 when he wed Carol Cummings, a graduate of Radcliffe College and the daughter of a Marine Corps brigadier general. They were married for 13 years before their divorce, which was initiated by Carol. They had two children together named Robert Ellsberg and Mary Ellsberg. In his memoir “Secrets,” Ellsberg discussed the divorce and its circumstances.

In 1970, Ellsberg entered into his second marriage with Patricia Marx, the daughter of Louis Marx, a well-known toy manufacturer. The couple lived in Mill Valley, California, for a significant period of time. They had a son named Michael Ellsberg, who has since pursued a successful career as an author and journalist.

While Daniel Ellsberg experienced changes and challenges in his personal life, including his relationships and family, he continued to make notable contributions to society through his activism and his pivotal role in the release of the Pentagon Papers.

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