INFAMOUS: Chelsea Manning
- Yasmin Sudarsanam
- Feb 15
- 3 min read
In one of the most significant leaks of classified information in U.S. history, a former Army intelligence analyst released hundreds of thousands of documents that exposed the inner workings of American military operations and diplomacy. This individual, later convicted under the Espionage Act, became a symbol of both government transparency and national security risks. This is the story of Chelsea Manning.
Chelsea Elizabeth Manning was born Bradley Edward Manning on December 17, 1987, in Crescent, Oklahoma. Raised in a turbulent household with an alcoholic mother and a strict father, Manning showed early signs of exceptional intelligence and an interest in computers. After her parents’ divorce, she lived with her mother in Wales for several years before returning to the United States. Struggling with finances, bullying, and gender identity, Manning moved in with her father in Oklahoma and worked low-paying jobs before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 2007, hoping for stability and a sense of purpose. She trained as an intelligence analyst and was deployed to Iraq in 2009, where she had access to classified databases containing military reports, diplomatic cables, and combat footage.
Between 2009 and 2010, Manning downloaded and transmitted over 700,000 classified military and diplomatic documents to WikiLeaks, a transparency organization founded by Julian Assange. Among the most infamous leaks was a 2007 video titled Collateral Murder, showing a U.S. Apache helicopter attack in Baghdad that killed multiple civilians, including two Reuters journalists. The Iraq War Logs, another set of leaked documents, revealed previously unreported civilian casualties and U.S. military misconduct. The Afghan War Diary exposed failures in the war effort, while the Diplomatic Cables laid bare behind-the-scenes U.S. foreign policy discussions, exposing corruption and tensions with allied nations.
The leaks sent shockwaves through the international community. Supporters hailed Manning as a whistleblower exposing government corruption and human rights violations, while critics condemned her as a traitor who had endangered American troops and intelligence assets. The U.S. government argued that her actions compromised national security, though some later reports suggested the leaks had minimal long-term strategic impact.
Manning was arrested in May 2010 after former hacker Adrian Lamo, whom she had confided in online, reported her to authorities. Held in solitary confinement for nearly a year at the Marine Corps Brig in Quantico, Virginia, Manning was subjected to conditions widely criticized as inhumane, including prolonged isolation, forced nudity, and sleep deprivation. The treatment drew condemnation from human rights groups and even the United Nations, which deemed it "cruel and degrading."
In 2013, Manning was court-martialed and sentenced to 35 years in prison under the Espionage Act, the longest sentence ever given for a leak of classified information. While she was acquitted of the most serious charge—"aiding the enemy"—the trial highlighted the U.S. government's aggressive stance against whistleblowers. Shortly after her sentencing, Manning publicly came out as a transgender woman and began her transition while incarcerated. Despite initially being denied hormone therapy, public pressure eventually led to the military granting her access to treatment.
In January 2017, after serving seven years, Manning’s sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama, who cited its severity compared to similar cases. Upon release, she became an activist, advocating for government transparency, LGBTQ+ rights, and prison reform. She briefly worked as a writer and speaker, giving talks on civil liberties and whistleblower protections. In 2018, she launched an unsuccessful campaign for a U.S. Senate seat in Maryland but failed to gain significant political traction. In 2019, Manning was subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks and Julian Assange. She refused, citing her belief in government transparency and her opposition to secret grand jury proceedings. As a result, she was held in contempt of court and spent nearly a year in jail, only being released in March 2020 after attempting suicide while in custody.
Throughout her life, Chelsea Manning has remained a polarizing figure—hailed by some as a hero for exposing government misconduct and vilified by others as a security threat. Her case ignited global debates on whistleblowing, press freedom, and the ethical responsibilities of those with access to classified information. While her leaks changed the course of government transparency discussions, they also led to severe consequences for her, setting a precedent for how future whistleblowers might be treated in the digital age.
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