Daniel Ellsberg
Daniel Ellsberg is an economist, lecturer, writer, political activist, former U.S. military analyst and author of The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner. In 1971, Dr. Ellsberg released the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret Pentagon study of the Vietnam War to The New York Times, the Washington Post and other newspapers, and the Pentagon Papers played a key role in ending the war. He was charged under the Espionage Act of 1917, and with theft and conspiracy, carrying a total maximum sentence of 115 years. All charges were dismissed. Dr. Ellsberg has done extensive studies on nuclear weapons and nuclear policy and is a strong advocate for patriotic whistleblowing. He is the winner of numerous awards including the Right Livelihood Award in 2006 “for putting peace and truth first, at considerable personal risk, and dedicating his life to inspiring others to follow his example," and the Olof Palme Prize in 2018 for his "profound humanism and exceptional moral courage."