The Most Dangerous Man In America
The Most Dangerous Man in America is the story of what happens when a former Pentagon insider, armed only with his conscience, steadfast determination, and a file cabinet full of classified documents, decides to challenge an Imperial Presidency-answerable to neither Congress, the press, nor the people-in order to help end the Vietnam War.
In 1971, Daniel Ellsberg shook America to its foundations when he smuggled a top-secret Pentagon study to the New York Times that showed how five Presidents consistently lied to the American people about the Vietnam War that was killing millions and tearing America apart.
President Nixon's National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger called Ellsberg the most dangerous man in America, who had to be stopped at all costs. But Ellsberg wasn't stopped. Facing 115 years in prison on espionage and conspiracy charges, he fought back.
Ensuing events surrounding the so-called Pentagon Papers led directly to Watergate and the downfall of President Nixon, and hastened the end of the Vietnam War. Ellsberg's relentless telling of truth to power, which exposed the secret deeds of an Imperial Presidency, inspired Americans of all walks of life to forever question the previously-unchallenged pronouncements of its leaders.
The Most Dangerous Man in America tells the inside story, for the first time on film, of this pivotal event that changed history and transformed our nation's political discourse. It is told largely by the players of that dramatic episode-Ellsberg, his colleagues, family and critics; Pentagon Papers authors and government officials; Vietnam veterans and anti-war activists; Watergate principals, attorneys and the journalists who both covered the story and were an integral part of it; and finally-through White House audiotapes-President Nixon and his inner circle of advisors.
I see trees of green, Red roses too, I see them bloom, For me and you, And I think to myself, What a wonderful world
I see skies of blue, And clouds of white, The bright blessed day, The dark sacred night, And I think to myself, What a wonderful world.
Only if yes only if. All politicians all over the entire globe are corrupt to the core, self centered, psychopathic mentally ill and I'm gong to say it as it is f***s.
This guy reminds me of the America I was fooled into believing to be reality in grade school, an America I was proud to be part of and felt was the best nation on the face of this earth. How people could have possibly supported Nixon, the most disgusting, dishonest, elitist, unprincipled sack of *&^% president this country has ever had, I will never understand.
We shouldn't look at this and think of it as in the past, something that happened but is over now. This very type of thing is still hapening, look what Cheney and co. did to Vallery plame, think about the wire taps after sep. 11th, think about what it means that we tortured people, think about the billions of dollars that have been fleeced by Cheney and friends from this country and the innocent lives lost because of thier greed and hunger for more power.
I respect and unsderstand Obama's decision not to go after them when he first took office, we were in crisis and he needed everyone concentrated on the economy and working together. If he had of went after them it would have stolen the spot light and divided Washington even worse than it is. But, we can not just dismiss what they did. They must be held accountable or all that we have professed to hold dear, all the lives lost in battle for our civil rights, our very constitution- it all means nothing. Having principles means you stick to them no matter what, even unto your own undoing. Other wise its just words and nothing else. Yes times are hard, but that is precisely when it matters whether or not you give in or remain true to your principles. If we only believe in democracy, honesty, responsibility, equality, etc. when its convenient, then we really don't beleive in them at all.
This guy is the real Captain America . . . on the flipside, I really wonder when America became a warmongering nation. But whenever it did, there has been no looking back. Whether it is for their own silly illusions or for their pride or for oil, America continues to bleed the world in a million ways. Will they ever have the courage to see what they have truly become and stop?
What an American hero, a real one. It's interesting, and disheartening to compare that situation with our present times. I guess this is a reminder to be... extremely critical of all military action. I have no doubt that as long as the industrial military complex stands to profit from war, that war will continue to happen for just that purpose, perhaps. At the end of his presidency, Truman made a particularly ominous speech, warning Americans of this dangerous liaison between that complex and government, and it probably still holds true today.
@ saintnarcissus I call it like I see it this man has been there since he had the Vietnam Wall Memorial built but we can throw him away like trash>>>>>>>>?????? Where is our honor to our own.....what are we Argentina whatever went down its distasteful to the american people if u ask them.
The Spirit is Willing But the Flesh is Weak ... a very well known person said that ... and for me it is the most exquisite expression of the human condition ... faced with saving yourself physically by hiding a truth that has such massive implications for the whole of mankind and it takes a giant of a person to have the guts to choose integrity ... someone not so strong can at least admit their fear and refusal to act in the way they feel is right ... however the majority of the human race is still too lacking in consciousness and awareness to either be bothered or worse still , in my opinion, to try to rationalise and justify their non action by using their family or so called patriotism as an excuse ... even after The Pentagon revelations the mass of people still allow exposure of conceit by the government to be labelled treason ... How Many Times Must a (Wo)Man Look Up Before He Can see the sky ...
I was still a kid when all thiswas being displayed on the evening news. Nieve with only a cosmetic understanding of the war and politics.
It's good to see what was really going on behind the scenes and how we got to that point.
But what struck me was comparing the national media then to now. I am unable to believe that the national media outlets would take such independent actions in reporting government corruption in these times.
I can only imagine what political secrets are still lurking out there that result in the needless death of people th current national media would not reveal.
Thank goodness the intneret nad places like Top Documentaries are still in operation as potential outlets for free information.
If you look at world history, you will find that Intrigue and manipulation of the masses by controlling powers (political or religious) has been an ancient practice, perhaps is part of human nature. It is just becoming harder for those powers to not be exposed (before, during or right after the fact). Unfortunately, in the same line I think that truth has become just a conversation piece and we are either too shocked to accept it or too helpless to respond.
Listening to the recordings of the White House and it's then president tells us: the man at the top is willing to do anything to keep his post and his supporters are also willing to do anything to keep him there because while he is there, they are too.
If this man got scared to the point of not going all the way...this doc would be slightly different and filed under conspiracy. You would then get two clans, the ones that say "this is a bunch of lies" and the ones that say: "how can we do nothing about this?".
There is no doubts in my mind that we are constantly fed lies, no matter what country one lives in. The more democrat a country is, the more hypocrit it has to be and the United States is possibly ahead of others in that.
az
Don,
A sincere thank you for this Documentary. I was in the Military during the
Ellsberg scandal. His courage to inform the American Public as to what we were doing to the Vietnamese (A small third world nation) still has not made any sense to me many years after it ended, that is, until I realized the Corporate Contracts profits became apparent.
It literally brought tears and sadness to me when I think of friends that didn't know why they were in Vietnam in the first place. Especially friends that didn't come home alive from that war. Now the U.S. is still creating lies and illegal acts of aggression against Muslim countries because of their plentiful oil reserves.
Why? Our Petrol Dollar is pegged to the U.S. Dollar. The Muslim states are sitting on billions of Gallons of Oil. The Petrol Dollar is holding up the U.S. dollar on Wall St. If that was done Wall St. would plummet and a Depression would ensue and crash quickly sink the U.S. Economy. This is why we are attacking Muslim countries and charging over $4.00 for a gallon of gas. They are swindling the U.S. public to make up for the trillions that they raided from the "Privately Owned" Federal Reserve System.
We have met the enemy and he is us!
Thanks, again for the documentary.
i loved this documentary.
reminds me of wikileaks...always shoot the messenger.
no matter what information people are given we are all too complacent to care. we go right back to our daily lives rather than protest and make a change. its a shame.
@ Jack1952
I agree with you totally Jack, all of the governments lies have led to a subculture that disbelieves everything that the government says which sometimes borders on paranoia & these people are just as dangerous as those of us who blindly believe everything that we are told. What is needed is a rational mind which can logically filter out the truth from the lies, unfortunately not all of us are equipped with one. As I said it does not help that even when these politicians are exposed, everything is just covered up & forgotten about, nobody is ever made culpable for their actions & they get to keep all of the money that they made while misrepresenting us. Most of the time if it wasn't for these whistle blowers (who the government tells us are all non-patriotic, trouble making activists) we would not even know that we are being lied to. Unfortunately there are more corrupt politicians than there are honest ones, so that it has got to the stage that it is best not believe any of them without scrutinising every word that they say. All politicians have got some sort of agenda, if they not like Bush & his lot who are all profiteering from the wars, then they are making false promises that they have got no intention of keeping in order to get re-elected next time around. There have been very few politicians who have ever done anything that has really benefited those who they are supposed to represent.
Release Manning you dangerous pigs.
Oh how I wish someone would pull something of that magnitude off relating to the current wars the U.S. is in. I try very hard not to wish ill on anyone but I sure would like to see justice for Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld etc. Ah, one can dream.
I have 7 words for you - John Wheeler deja vu I think not! If Daniel Ellsberg tried this today I bet he would be walking around with one shoe on in the winter looking for a waste management dumpster to take a very long eternal nappy in. Dont worry we found John Wheeler safe and sound "dead and document clean" at the Washington DC dump. I guess we dont bother to use the legal system anymore to silence people like Daniel Ellsberg. You know when u sign under penalty of death that dont mean that judgement need come from a court of law anymore. Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!
Release Bradley Manning
The Most Patriotic Man In America
It should have been called "America's most patriotic man", because anyone who exposes the lies of the government ( who are elected by the people to serve the people ) is a lot more patriotic than those who lie to you & treat you like patsies. This was just about the Vietnam war, but it has been going on ever since. All governments only tell their citizens what they want them to know regardless of the truth, but Americans ( like most of us here in the west ) are some of the most gullible for actually believing the lies that their government tells them. In most other countries people don't believe the lies, but live under regimes where they are powerless to do anything about it. Democracy just means that you get to choose who is going to lie to you. All politicians are only in it for what they can get out of it for themselves, have you ever known an ex-politician who is poor ?
The worst thing is that even when these people get exposed for all their lies & deceit, they still get to keep all of the money that they made from it. They should be held responsible for their actions & made to pay for what they have done. It is an insult to all those who have lost their lives in all the wars that our governments have conned us into.