Ellsberg's release of what were called the "Pentagon Papers" hastened the end of the Vietnam war, prompted a landmark Supreme Court ruling and contributed to the downfall of President Richard Nixon.
Dozens of classified U.S. documents detailing the war in Ukraine have appeared on multiple social media sites. There's no word on who might be responsible for leaking or stealing the material.
The documents in the Pentagon Papers told how U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War was built up steadily by political leaders and top military brass who were overconfident about U.S. prospects.
NPR's Scott Simon reflects on the life and work of famed reporter Neil Sheehan who obtained the Pentagon Papers. Sheehan died this week at the age of 84.
