On June 13, 1971, the New York Times announced the existence of a 7,000-page collection of documents containing a secret history of the Vietnam War. Known as The Pentagon Papers, these documents had been commissioned by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. Chronicling every action the government had taken in the Vietnam War, they revealed a pattern of deception spanning over twenty years and four presidencies, and forever changed the relationship between American citizens and the politicians claiming to represent their interests. Sheinkin tells how Daniel Ellsberg risked everything to expose the government's deceit.

Prologue: Feasibility Study -- Cold warrior -- Day one -- Hostile action -- Welcome Americans -- Wider war -- Patricia -- Limited operations -- Diving board -- Kill ratio -- Escalation -- Break-up -- Making progress -- Search and destroy -- Lasting impression -- Credibility gap -- The power of leaks -- Madman theory -- The Pentagon Papers -- Whole vote -- Night work -- Troublemaker -- Behind the mask -- Bridges burned -- War room -- A matter of patriotism -- Slow build -- Mr. Boston -- Underground -- Arrest -- Fame -- The plumbers -- Bag job -- Consequences -- Preposterous -- Peace with honor? -- Bizarre events -- Painful truth -- Epilogue: History repeats.