Neil Sheehan, who died on January 7, 2021 at the age of 84, was one of the great American journalists. Known for having broken the Pentagon Papers in the New York Times, he was also the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winning author of A Bright Shining Lie, a history of the American involvement in Vietnam, as told through the life of Lt. Col. John Paul Vann.
This interview with Neil Sheehan, conducted by host Richard Wolinsky, was conducted on October 12, 2009 while he was on tour for his book A Fiery Peace in a Cold War: Bernard Schriever and the Ultimate Weapon, which focused on the nuclear stalemate between the United States and the Soviet Union, and the history of the Cold War.
While the central theme of the interview is A Fiery Peace in a Cold War, Neil Sheehan also discusses American involvements in Vietnam, both Iraq wars, and Afghanistan, and of course, the Pentagon Papers.