The History of U.S. Decision-Making in Vietnam, 1945-1968, or the Pentagon Papers, is a chronicle of United States involvement in Vietnam from 1945 to 1968. It was released and brought to attention in 1971. The papers were said to demonstrate the lies and malpractice of Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration.
The Pentagon Papers revealed American expansion of bombing in Cambodia and Laos, coastal raids on North Vietnam, and Marine Corps attacks none of which were reported by American media. However, the most critical revelation was the discovery that four administrations (Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson) had misled the public regarding their intentions. The scandal massively discredited the American government and influenced anti-government sentiment.