Inside the Pentagon Papers (review)

In their recent book Inside the Pentagon Papers, editors Prados and Porter contribute short, concise chapters on various aspects of the McNamara-era Defense Department Vietnam War study known collectively as the Pentagon Papers, with a particular focus on the legal issues surrounding publication of those documents. They flesh out their brief historical narratives utilizing recently declassified material, including transcripts of President Nixon's phone conversations and government legal briefs, supplemented by excerpts from a 2001 symposium during which key participants reflected on those events. The book is not an analysis of the Pentagon Papers, though the editors do touch briefly on the significance, as well as the limitations, of that study. The deeper intent of this work is made clear in the introduction, where the authors pointedly note the relevance of those events thirty-five years ago to debates over national security and presidential prerogatives taking place today.

The editors outline the origins and writing of the original study, the agonizing of newspaper editors and reporters over whether and how to publish, and the legal battles ensuing from the Nixon administration's determination to suppress publication. Making extensive use of primary sources, the editors seek to show that the administration's reasons for opposing publication of the Pentagon Papers never had much to do with alleged damage to national security, and everything to do with limiting public access to information about government's inner workings. That the administration was grasping for a legal basis to prevent publication becomes evident in a subsequent chapter where editor John Prados undertakes a point-by-point examination of the specific "national security" claims made by government lawyers, persuasively revealing the weakness of the government's arguments.

Much of this territory has been covered in other, more expansive, studies, though incorporation of personal reflections from people who were directly involved adds greater depth and nuance to our understanding of those events. Where this book breaks new ground is in demonstrating the continued relevance of the Pentagon Papers case to current political debates. Although in time this may date the book, right now it offers a timely exploration for anyone wishing to investigate the legal precedents that obtain when government seeks to prevent the release of sensitive material. The final chapter, written by Vietnam Veterans of America general counsel Michael Gaffney, reads like a legal précis in anticipation of impending legal battles over current national security controversies.

Inside the Pentagon Papers will not be of use to those seeking a better understanding of the war itself or U.S. government decision making in that conflict, but would be of interest to anyone wanting a quick and clear introduction to this extremely important but tangential aspect of the Vietnam Conflict. Moreover, the final chapters, focusing on the legal aspects and implications of the Pentagon Papers, claims of damage to national security, and the question of prior restraint over publication, offer considerable insight into contemporary issues of press freedom, government secrecy, and national security debates.