Daniel Ellsberg

[[Image:DanielEllsberg-1.jpg|thumb|right|Daniel Ellsberg ©1990 Jock

History

Ellsberg grew up in Detroit and attended Cranbrook Kingswood School, then attended Harvard University, graduating with a Ph.D. in Economics in 1959 in which he described a paradox in decision theory now known as Ellsberg paradox. He served as a company commander in the Marine Corps for two years, and then became an analyst at the RAND Corporation. A committed Cold War warrior, he served in the Pentagon in 1964 under Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. He then served for two years in Vietnam as a civilian in the State Department, and became convinced that the Vietnam War was unwinnable. He further believed that nearly everyone in the Defense and State Departments knew, as he did, that the United States had no realistic chance of achieving victory in Vietnam, but that political considerations prevented them from saying so publicly. McNamara and others continued to state in press interviews that victory was "just around the corner". As the war continued to escalate, Ellsberg became deeply disillusioned.

Related Topics:
Detroit - Cranbrook Kingswood School - Harvard University - Ph.D. - Economics - 1959 - Decision theory - Ellsberg paradox - Marine Corps - RAND Corporation - Cold War - The Pentagon - 1964 - Secretary of Defense - Robert McNamara - Vietnam - State Department

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