Chelsea Manning: Whistleblower and Activist

Early Life and Military Career

Chelsea Elizabeth Manning, born Bradley Edward Manning on December 17, 1987, is an American activist and whistleblower. As a former United States Army intelligence analyst, Manning served in Iraq from 2009 to 2010.

Unauthorized Release of Classified Documents

In 2010, while deployed in Iraq, Manning leaked hundreds of thousands of classified military and diplomatic records to the website WikiLeaks. These documents included field reports from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, diplomatic cables, and other sensitive information.

Largest Document Leak in History

Manning's actions resulted in the largest leak of classified documents ever to be released into the public domain. The leak sparked international controversy and raised questions about the limits of secrecy and whistleblower protections.