--- product_id: 6319704 title: "Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers" price: "870950₫" currency: VND in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.vn/products/6319704-secrets-a-memoir-of-vietnam-and-the-pentagon-papers store_origin: VN region: Vietnam --- # Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers **Price:** 870950₫ **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers - **How much does it cost?** 870950₫ with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vn](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/6319704-secrets-a-memoir-of-vietnam-and-the-pentagon-papers) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The true story of the leaking of the Pentagon Papers, the event which inspired Steven Spielberg’s feature film The Post In 1971 former Cold War hard-liner Daniel Ellsberg made history by releasing the Pentagon Papers - a 7,000-page top-secret study of U.S. decision-making in Vietnam - to the New York Times and Washington Post . The document set in motion a chain of events that ended not only the Nixon presidency but the Vietnam War. In this remarkable memoir, Ellsberg describes in dramatic detail the two years he spent in Vietnam as a U.S. State Department observer, and how he came to risk his career and freedom to expose the deceptions and delusions that shaped three decades of American foreign policy. The story of one man's exploration of conscience, Secrets is also a portrait of America at a perilous crossroad. "[Ellsberg's] well-told memoir sticks in the mind and will be a powerful testament for future students of a war that the United States should never have fought." - The Washington Post "Ellsberg's deft critique of secrecy in government is an invaluable contribution to understanding one of our nation's darkest hours." -Theodore Roszak, San Francisco Chronicle Review: Greek Tragedy, Roman Irony and Nixonian Farce - This is a brilliant book. During the time Ellsberg relates, he was constantly called upon to write lengthy and detailed reports for officials already over burdened with endless reports they had to consume. He had to be clear, precise, cogent, and articulate. This highly developed skill is amply demonstrated in this book. Which reads more like a work of fiction than what it truly is: A personal account of what was going on INSIDE the government during the build up and eventual crisis of the Vietnam War. And in the fields and hamlets of Vietnam. Two quotes to frame the context: "A popular government, without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or, perhaps, both. knowledge will forever govern ignorance: And a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives." James Madison. Quoted by Daniel Ellsberg (p431) "Once in 1967 after a somewhat pessimistic briefing by John Vann, Rostow, slightly shaken, said, "But you do admit that it'll all be over in six months." "Oh," said Vann somewhat airily, "I think we can hold out longer than that." - The Best And The Brightest p.637 David Halberstam. Ellsberg's memoir was published before the Snowdon revelations about the true breadth and depth of NSA foreign and domestic data mining. So there is that additional perspective to ponder. Ellsberg, one of Halberstam's Best and Brightest. A true cold warrior, third in line under McNamara. One of the very best and brightest, who came too late to question Vietnam Policy and ordered the compiling of the Pentagon Papers. The history of Presidential folly, self deception and fear of the primitives and isolationist anti communist("You Lost China") lobby. The Pentagon Papers that Ellsberg released to the press. So we have two profoundly important themes - the abuse of power and executive efforts to restrict access to any remotely pertinent information "top secret". And, in Ellsberg's memoir the circumstances and thinking that made him break with the establishment and publish that top secret information. "Plus ca change" as the French say. We seem condemned to deprecate the British Empire while seriously intensifying both that Empire's moral (self righteous) certitudes and its most egregious failings and obtuseness. The one thing that most impressed me about this book is what Elleberg did NOT say. Did not NEED to say, because he writes so clearly the picture is so clear, in all its awful complexity. To be sure he has his own moral point of view. And he lets this show from time to time. Only, I think, to underscore the fallibility of everyone and anyone involved with or observing the unfolding and unravelling of US Vietnam policy. But, for the most part he has chosen his examples and sequence of events and policy decisions to paint a complete portrait, showing far more than he tells. For me this is brilliant. Not a jeremiad. Just a cool and personal report for the ages. Which, judging by more recent military adventures, we are doomed to repeat and not learn from. There will always be honorable souls, like George Ball, Vann and several others Ellsberg quotes and acknowledges, who will see to the heart of the matter. And there will always be "primitives" (Roosevelt's term) who will scare enough people enough of the time for this tragedy to be repeated. If it isn't being so already.... Compelling reading. Review: Great book, Politics & Vietnam War - Interesting account of the politics behind Vietnam and the War. A lot of specifics that I didn’t know or remember. Dan Ellsberg! Not who I thought he was. Always in the right place at the right time. ## Features - Pentagon Papers Daniel Ellsberg memoirs ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #129,125 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #119 in Vietnam War History (Books) #438 in Political Leader Biographies #3,591 in Memoirs (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 638 Reviews | ## Images ![Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/919KAGDDOaL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Greek Tragedy, Roman Irony and Nixonian Farce *by D***M on December 8, 2013* This is a brilliant book. During the time Ellsberg relates, he was constantly called upon to write lengthy and detailed reports for officials already over burdened with endless reports they had to consume. He had to be clear, precise, cogent, and articulate. This highly developed skill is amply demonstrated in this book. Which reads more like a work of fiction than what it truly is: A personal account of what was going on INSIDE the government during the build up and eventual crisis of the Vietnam War. And in the fields and hamlets of Vietnam. Two quotes to frame the context: "A popular government, without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or, perhaps, both. knowledge will forever govern ignorance: And a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives." James Madison. Quoted by Daniel Ellsberg (p431) "Once in 1967 after a somewhat pessimistic briefing by John Vann, Rostow, slightly shaken, said, "But you do admit that it'll all be over in six months." "Oh," said Vann somewhat airily, "I think we can hold out longer than that." - The Best And The Brightest p.637 David Halberstam. Ellsberg's memoir was published before the Snowdon revelations about the true breadth and depth of NSA foreign and domestic data mining. So there is that additional perspective to ponder. Ellsberg, one of Halberstam's Best and Brightest. A true cold warrior, third in line under McNamara. One of the very best and brightest, who came too late to question Vietnam Policy and ordered the compiling of the Pentagon Papers. The history of Presidential folly, self deception and fear of the primitives and isolationist anti communist("You Lost China") lobby. The Pentagon Papers that Ellsberg released to the press. So we have two profoundly important themes - the abuse of power and executive efforts to restrict access to any remotely pertinent information "top secret". And, in Ellsberg's memoir the circumstances and thinking that made him break with the establishment and publish that top secret information. "Plus ca change" as the French say. We seem condemned to deprecate the British Empire while seriously intensifying both that Empire's moral (self righteous) certitudes and its most egregious failings and obtuseness. The one thing that most impressed me about this book is what Elleberg did NOT say. Did not NEED to say, because he writes so clearly the picture is so clear, in all its awful complexity. To be sure he has his own moral point of view. And he lets this show from time to time. Only, I think, to underscore the fallibility of everyone and anyone involved with or observing the unfolding and unravelling of US Vietnam policy. But, for the most part he has chosen his examples and sequence of events and policy decisions to paint a complete portrait, showing far more than he tells. For me this is brilliant. Not a jeremiad. Just a cool and personal report for the ages. Which, judging by more recent military adventures, we are doomed to repeat and not learn from. There will always be honorable souls, like George Ball, Vann and several others Ellsberg quotes and acknowledges, who will see to the heart of the matter. And there will always be "primitives" (Roosevelt's term) who will scare enough people enough of the time for this tragedy to be repeated. If it isn't being so already.... Compelling reading. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great book, Politics & Vietnam War *by J***N on April 7, 2026* Interesting account of the politics behind Vietnam and the War. A lot of specifics that I didn’t know or remember. Dan Ellsberg! Not who I thought he was. Always in the right place at the right time. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Everyone knows the secret except those reading the documents *by R***D on June 2, 2003* Daniel Ellsberg's service in Vietnam has been documented in other books, but his personal account is very informative. There are several true gems in this memoir, the most remarkable being the scene in which he personally warns Kissinger of the dangers of top secret access, this just prior to Kissinger's taking the National Security Advisor position. Ellsberg warns the good Doctor that those with access to highly classified information go through a transformation process which eventually leads them to think that anyone without the same access is a simpleton not capable of judging policymakers. They stop listening to outsiders and eventually turn themselves into morons. Sound familiar? A follow-up scene shows that Kissinger did fall victim to that syndrome at least on occasion. Perhaps the same may apply to Dan Ellsberg. He assumed that once the public saw what he saw in those "secret" papers the world would turn back on its axis. Ellsberg may not have realized that "the people" have always known the key secret -- the "great leader" will stop at nothing to remain in power and his men will do anything to keep their jobs. [See the final paragraph of David Chandler's book "Voices from S-21" for the best explanation I have seen about how men rationalize the evil they do by placing themselves in a "state of agency" to a bureaucracy to which they cling for survival.] The "secret" is as old as man himself, and never changes. Only those on the "inside" imagine themselves brilliant by virtue of their access to the details of age old political power schemes. The quotes from the Oval Office tapes of Nixon's "frank" reactions to Ellsberg's plot to publicize the McNamara study are wonderful, laughable, and a great joy to read. Would today's Oval Office tapes really be any less satisfying? --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vn/products/6319704-secrets-a-memoir-of-vietnam-and-the-pentagon-papers](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/6319704-secrets-a-memoir-of-vietnam-and-the-pentagon-papers) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vietnam* *Store origin: VN* *Last updated: 2026-06-04*