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You can read the complete declassified Pentagon Papers through the National Archives collection. It provides an index and separate PDF files. Use the index to find the relevant part, then download and save the PDF before reading; the Archives warns that the files are large. For full-text searching, the National Security Archive also offers an OCR text resource, but check quotations and page references against the archival PDFs.
Where can I read the Pentagon Papers online?
Start with the National Archives’ Pentagon Papers collection. It is the primary online source for the complete declassified report and provides an index alongside individual PDF files. The Archives does not offer the report as one lightweight HTML edition, so you will navigate and download it in parts.
The official title is Report of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Vietnam Task Force. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara commissioned the study in 1967. The National Archives describes the complete release as 48 boxes containing approximately 7,000 declassified pages.
How do I download the Pentagon Papers?
- Open the collection page. Go to the National Archives Pentagon Papers collection.
- Open the Index PDF. Use it to identify the part or volume relevant to your question.
- Choose the corresponding file. The Archives lists individual PDFs with National Archives identifiers.
- Download and save the PDF before opening it. The Archives advises, “Due to the large file sizes, we recommend that you save them rather than try to open them directly.” Large PDFs may be awkward to open in a browser.
- Check the index route if useful. The DocsTeach Pentagon Papers Index also points readers to the complete report at the National Archives.
Are the Pentagon Papers available as a PDF?
Yes. The National Archives provides the report as separate PDFs rather than as a single web page or one small download. Downloading only the part you need can make the collection more manageable; use the index to locate it first.
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How can I search the text and verify a quotation?
The National Security Archive hosts an OCR text resource that can help you search for names or phrases. OCR is a convenience, not the archival master: text recognition can introduce errors, and the OCR resource should not be treated as authoritative for exact wording or page appearance.
For a quotation, transcription, or page reference, locate the passage in the relevant National Archives PDF and check it there. That lets you confirm the wording against the archival document rather than relying on searchable OCR alone.
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Is the 2011 release the same as older editions?
No. The National Archives and the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon Presidential Libraries released the complete report on June 13, 2011, the 40th anniversary of the press leak. The Archives says this release follows the presentation Leslie Gelb made to Defense Secretary Clark Clifford on January 15, 1969, includes supplemental back-documentation, and has no redactions compared with previous releases.
Earlier books and editions based on leaked copies are not interchangeable with the archival release. The Archives notes that earlier publications were incomplete and had reproduction problems; its release notice says the Beacon Press reproduction based on the Gravel copy omitted words, paragraphs, and even full pages. A National Security Archive briefing also explains that the House Armed Services Committee and Senator Gravel editions differed in coverage and omissions. Do not assume that a particular printed edition contains everything in the 2011 release.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFigures describing the study vary with what is being counted. The National Security Archive’s 2011 briefing describes the study’s main body as 43 volumes—4,000 pages of narrative and 3,000 pages of documents—and says four separately written diplomatic volumes added 800 pages. Those organizational figures are distinct from the National Archives’ description of the later release as approximately 7,000 declassified pages in 48 boxes. The National Security Archive briefing attributes an estimate that approximately 34% of the report was available for the first time to the National Archives.
Quick Recap
Which source should I use?
| Source | Best use | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| National Archives collection | Reading the complete declassified report and checking page-level wording or appearance | Files are separate PDFs and can be large; download and save the relevant file. |
| National Security Archive OCR resource | Searching text for a name or phrase | Use the archival PDF to verify exact wording and page references. |
| DocsTeach Pentagon Papers Index | Using an alternate index entry to reach the collection | It points back to the complete report at the National Archives. |
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