The Pentagon conducted the clandestine study that concerned U.S. role in Indochina. The report was commissioned by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara in June 1967. The Pentagon Papers covered the period from World War II to May 1968, which was the time that peace talks began in Paris.

The Pentagon Papers were compiled by a group of analysts who were allowed to peruse through classified documents and was finished in January 1969. The top secret study revealed the many activities that the U.S. figures had performed on Vietnam.

The topics recorded in the Pentagon Papers spanned through the entire Vietnam era. It is the most complete archive documents regarding the Vietnam War. Deceptions made by politicians were revealed and many questions behind the war were answered.

Conclusions of the Pentagon Paper:

The Pentagon Papers repeated variations of the Domino Theory throughout the entire study and the US fear of Communism was acknowledged. The study also claimed that the American Government was confident that by threatening the use of their power against the Vietnamese, the war would be under control. But the reason why Vietnam was not heavily bombed and fully escalated was that the officials in the Johnson Administration avoided provoking China or the Soviet Union into war.

Some important findings noted in the Pentagon Papers were:

• The decision made by the Truman Administration to give military aid to France in the First Indochina War directly involved the United States in Vietnam and set the course of American policy.
• The Eisenhower Administration's decision to rescue a South Vietnam from a Communist takeover and attempt to undermine the new Communist regime of North Vietnam gave the Administration a direct role in the ultimate breakdown of the *Geneva settlement* for Indochina in 1954.
• The Kennedy Administration helped start the beginning of the escalation of the war in Vietnam. Following the death of John F. Kennedy, the choice was left to President Johnson between a further intensification of war or complete withdrawal.
• The Johnson Administration made the decision to intensify warfare against North Vietnam. Though the President was reluctant and hesitant to take the final decisions, the Vietnam War was officially declared. Johnson also had begun to commit troops to Vietnam, while fabricating the lie that the US had no long-term plans for Vietnam.
• That even though the Government's intelligence community knew that increased military pressure would not diminish the pace that the Communist influence would grow in the South, the US deeply involved and committed themselves . Beginning with abetting the French in the First Indochina War, complete disregard of the Geneva Accords, the approval of the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, to complete declaration of war.

The Pentagon Papers also concluded that the first reason for American involvement in Indochina was the containment of Communism. But as the war prolonged, the sole reason to continue fighting was to preserve the dignity of the United States.

Exposing the Papers:

PENTAGON PAPERS Was the actions taken by Daniel Ellsberg a violation of oath, or an heroic act of patriotism? Violation of Oath Heroic Act of Patriotism Undecided View Current Results

On June 13, 1971, the New York Times was able to obtain a copy of papers through Daniel Ellsberg, who was one of the analysts. They began to print articles regarding the Pentagon Papers. The U.S. Justice Department used the court to ban further publications of any editorials relating to the Pentagon Papers. This was overruled by the Supreme Court -- in New York Times v. the United States -- because of the constitutional guarantee of a free press.

The government charged Ellsberg and Anthony J. Russo with espionage, theft, and conspiracy. These charges were later dismissed by the federal court because of the inappropriate actions of the government on May 11, 1973.

Exposing the Pentagon Papers revealed to the American public's eyes that they could not trust their own government, as the documents showed that the US policymakers had already increased the intensity of the war before the American public was informed. These deceptions furthered fueled the American public's reluctance of continuing the war in the Vietnam.

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