Question

question 3 of 10

what happened as a result of the release of the pentagon papers?

a. calls for richard nixon to resign from the presidency increased.
b. more americans began to oppose withdrawal from vietnam.
c. the antiwar movement in the united states was further inflamed.
d. daniel ellsberg was arrested and tried for leaking classified information.

Explanation:

Identify the historical context

The question asks about the consequences of releasing the Pentagon Papers in 1971, a pivotal event in US History 1970s.

Analyze the Pentagon Papers

The Pentagon Papers were a top-secret Department of Defense study revealing that successive presidential administrations had systematically lied to the public and Congress about the scope and progress of the Vietnam War.

Evaluate the options

• Option A: Calls for Nixon's resignation grew primarily due to the Watergate scandal, not the Pentagon Papers directly.
• Option B: The leak made Americans more critical of the war, increasing opposition to it, not decreasing it.
• Option C: By exposing government deception, the leak deeply damaged public trust and significantly energized the antiwar movement.
• Option D: While Daniel Ellsberg was prosecuted, the charges were eventually dismissed due to government misconduct, making this option less representative of the primary national result.

Determine the primary result

The most widespread national consequence of the leak was that public distrust grew, which further inflamed the antiwar movement across the United States.

Answer:

• (A) Calls for Richard Nixon to resign from the presidency increased.
• (B) More Americans began to oppose withdrawal from Vietnam.
• (C) The antiwar movement in the United States was further inflamed. (Correct answer)
• (D) Daniel Ellsberg was arrested and tried for leaking classified information.