Daniel Ellsberg Books
Daniel Ellsberg (1931–2023) was an American economist, political activist, and former U. S.
Known for: The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner
Books by Daniel Ellsberg
The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner
In this revelatory memoir, Daniel Ellsberg, the whistleblower behind the Pentagon Papers, exposes the inner workings of America’s nuclear war planning during the Cold War. Drawing on his experience as a defense analyst at RAND Corporation and the Pentagon, Ellsberg reveals the terrifying logic and systemic flaws of U.S. nuclear strategy, including the delegation of launch authority and the illusion of control over nuclear weapons. The book combines historical analysis, personal testimony, and moral reflection to warn of the continuing dangers of nuclear deterrence and the existential threat it poses to humanity.
Read SummaryKey Insights from Daniel Ellsberg
The RAND Corporation and the Pentagon
When I first joined RAND, it was a temple to systems thinking—a place where men with chalk-stained fingers and pocket calculators sought to translate war into logic, and logic into policy. The task seemed noble. America needed a strategy to survive in a nuclear age. We were convinced that rigorous a...
From The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner
The Illusion of Presidential Control
One of the first great illusions I had to confront was that the President of the United States—and only the President—had the authority to order a nuclear strike. It was a comforting assumption, embedded deeply in the nation’s psyche. But when I investigated actual procedures, I discovered that the ...
From The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner
About Daniel Ellsberg
Daniel Ellsberg (1931–2023) was an American economist, political activist, and former U.S. military analyst. He is best known for releasing the Pentagon Papers in 1971, which exposed U.S. government deception in the Vietnam War. Ellsberg worked at RAND Corporation and the Department of Defense, wher...
Read more
Daniel Ellsberg (1931–2023) was an American economist, political activist, and former U.S. military analyst. He is best known for releasing the Pentagon Papers in 1971, which exposed U.S. government deception in the Vietnam War. Ellsberg worked at RAND Corporation and the Department of Defense, wher...
Daniel Ellsberg (1931–2023) was an American economist, political activist, and former U.S. military analyst. He is best known for releasing the Pentagon Papers in 1971, which exposed U.S. government deception in the Vietnam War. Ellsberg worked at RAND Corporation and the Department of Defense, where he contributed to nuclear war planning. His later career was devoted to anti-war activism, nuclear disarmament advocacy, and government transparency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Daniel Ellsberg (1931–2023) was an American economist, political activist, and former U. S.
Read Daniel Ellsberg's books in 15 minutes
Get AI-powered summaries with key insights from 1 book by Daniel Ellsberg.