On June 13, 1971, The New York Times began publishing excerpts from a 7,000-page classified Defense Department study titled “History of U.S. Decision-Making in Vietnam, 1945-1968”—soon known as the Pentagon Papers. Leaked by military analyst Daniel Ellsberg, the documents revealed that …
Daniel EllsbergNew York TimesWashington PostPresident Richard NixonSecretary of Defense Robert McNamara+2 moregovernment-deceptionmilitary-industrial-complexwhistleblowerpress-freedomvietnam-war
After four months of proceedings, Lieutenant William Calley is found guilty on 22 counts of premeditated murder for his role in the My Lai massacre and sentenced to life in prison. Calley becomes the only person convicted for the mass killing of between 347 and 504 unarmed Vietnamese civilians, …
Lieutenant William CalleyPresident Richard NixonSecretary of the Army Howard CallawayLieutenant General William Peerswar-crimesinstitutional-corruptiongovernment-deceptionmilitary-corruptionaccountability-failure
On December 31, 1970, President Richard Nixon signed the Clean Air Act of 1970, establishing the most comprehensive air quality legislation in history. The act created national ambient air quality standards, gave the newly formed Environmental Protection Agency enforcement authority, set emission …
President Richard NixonSenator Edmund MuskieAmerican Petroleum InstituteNational Coal AssociationAutomotive Industry+1 moreenvironmental-regulationpublic-healthcorporate-lobbyingregulatory-reform
On December 29, 1970, President Richard Nixon signed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, creating the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and establishing for the first time comprehensive federal authority to set and enforce workplace safety standards. The legislation responded …
President Richard NixonU.S. CongressAFL-CIONational Association of ManufacturersChamber of Commerceworker-rightsregulatory-reformcorporate-lobbyinglabor-movementpublic-health
On December 2, 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency began operations after President Richard Nixon’s Reorganization Plan No. 3 consolidated environmental programs scattered across fifteen federal agencies. The creation of EPA represented the first comprehensive federal approach to …
President Richard NixonWilliam RuckelshausCouncil on Environmental Qualityenvironmental-regulationregulatory-reformgovernment-reorganization
On April 22, 1970, approximately 20 million Americans—10% of the nation’s population—participated in the first Earth Day, the largest mass demonstration in American history to that point. Organized by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin and coordinated by young activist Denis Hayes, Earth Day …
Senator Gaylord NelsonDenis HayesEnvironmental ActionPresident Richard Nixonenvironmental-regulationgrassroots-organizingpublic-healthsocial-movement
Nixon and Kissinger launch Operation Menu, a covert bombing campaign against neutral Cambodia conducted without congressional authorization or public knowledge. The secret carpet-bombing campaign—with missions codenamed Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack, Dessert, and Supper—is confirmed at an Oval …
President Richard NixonNational Security Advisor Henry KissingerSecretary of Defense Melvin LairdSecretary of State William RogersGeneral Earle Wheeler+1 morewar-crimesgovernment-deceptionmilitary-industrial-complexillegal-surveillanceconstitutional-violations