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 Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst known for leaking the classified "Pentagon Papers," has passed away at the age of 92.

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 Ellsberg's leak of the Pentagon Papers exposed government lies about the Vietnam War and sparked a significant battle for freedom of the press.

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He died at his home in Kensington, California, after being diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer in February.

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 Ellsberg was an advocate for leakers and whistleblowers and his actions predated the likes of Wikileaks and Edward Snowden.

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The Nixon administration launched a smear campaign against Ellsberg, referring to him as "the most dangerous man in America."

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 He served in the military, held positions at the Pentagon and RAND Corporation, and had initially supported the Vietnam War before changing his perspective.

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Ellsberg secretly copied the top-secret Pentagon Papers and provided them to the New York Times and other newspapers.

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 The publication of the Pentagon Papers led to a fight over freedom of the press and the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the newspapers.

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 The documents revealed government deception about the Vietnam War, including plans for a coup and the secret bombing of Cambodia and Laos.

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