Question

What did the publication of the pentagon papers reveal to the American public

Answer 1

Answer:  The Pentagon Papers revealed that the US government had been lying to the American public about the war in Vietnam.

Explanation:

Daniel Ellsberg was the military analyst who leaked "The Pentagon Papers" to the American press in 1971, revealing top secret information about US planning and decision-making in regard to the Vietnam War.  

The Vietnam War had a major impact in shifting public opinion toward distrust of government.  During the Vietnam War, a major credibility gap  became apparent in regard to what the government was telling the American public vs. what was actually taking place.  The term "credibility gap" was used by journalists who questioned the optimistic picture that the Lyndon Johnson administration painted regarding how the war was going, when investigative reporting showed a much more negative reality.

The credibility gap grew especially apparent when the Pentagon Papers (classified documents) were leaked to the press in 1971, showing that the government indeed had been deceiving the public about the plans and conduct of the war over the years.

Answer 2

At the time the government lied to the American public about the status of the ongoing Vietnam War, everyone thought that we were winning the war, until the new York times published the pentagon papers which showed the American public that wasn't the case.