She will be released from prison on May 17, having served nearly seven years of a 35 year sentence.
Chelsea Manning
What do we know about her before Wikileaks?
Now aged 29, Miss Manning had a troubled childhood – first in Oklahoma, then Wales.
Her parents were alcoholics, and Miss Manning was believed to have been born with fetal alcohol syndrome. She was fed baby food until the age of two, with her sister Casey, 11 years older, often looking after her.
Miss Manning was described in court as a lonely and isolated child, whose parents divorced when she was 12, leading her to attempt suicide.
She was bullied at school in the US and in Wales, where she lived from 2001-2005, and struggled with her sexual identity.
In October 2007, aged 19, Miss Manning joined the army, signing up at Fort Meade, near Baltimore.
She was evidently not physically or mentally suited to army life – slender, only 5’2” tall, and with deep-seated inner turmoil – and was discharged after six weeks, only for the army to then reconsider its decision.
In 2009 she was sent to Iraq.
The experience was not a good one. In November 2009 she sent an email to a gender identity counsellor in the US, seeking help. In April 2010 she emailed her military supervisor with a photo of herself dressed as a woman, entitled: “My problem”.
But, with the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy still in force in the US military, Miss Manning could not be an openly gay soldier.
In the spring of 2010 she wrote on Facebook: "Bradley Manning is now left with the sinking feeling that he doesn't have anything left." A week after she commented that she was "beyond frustrated with people and society at large".
How did she get involved with Wikileaks?
In January 2010, Miss Manning first began speaking to Wikileaks, having found out about Julian Assange’s site when they leaked documents relating to the September 11 attacks, in November 2009.
She then downloaded hundreds of thousands of documents from her computer onto a CD marked “Lady Gaga” and took it to the US, where she was to spend a fortnight’s leave.
Miss Manning contacted The Washington Post and New York Times, but neither seemed interested. She then sent the documents to Wikileaks, unaware of whether they had even been received.
She then returned to Iraq.
How was she caught?
Wikileaks posted the first documents on February 18, 2010. In April Mr Assange travelled to Washington to unveil, with great fanfare at the press club, a video he called Collateral Murder.The video, part of the information leaked by Miss Manning, showed Reuters reporters and Iraqis being gunned down by an American helicopter in a “friendly fire” incident.
Miss
Manning had begun discussing her actions with a computer hacker, Adrian
Lamo, in May 2010. Mr Lamo went to the police and Miss Manning was
arrested in Iraq on May 27.
But Wikileaks continued to publish.
In July 2010 they made public the Iraq and Afghan war logs, and the diplomatic cables in November 2010.
In March 2011 further charges were added, meaning that she faced 22 charges including espionage and aiding the enemy – a charge that carries the death penalty.
On February 28, 2013, Miss Manning pleaded guilty to 10 of the 22 charges. She told the court in a speech that lasted over an hour that said she had leaked the cables "to show the true cost of war".
On August 14, Miss Manning apologised to the court.
"I am sorry that my actions hurt people,” she said.
“I'm sorry that they hurt the United States. I am sorry for the unintended consequences of my actions. When I made these decisions I believed I was going to help people, not hurt people. ... At the time of my decisions I was dealing with a lot of issues."
On August 21, 2013, she was convicted for her role in leaking the classified documents, and sentenced to 35 years.
In July 2010 they made public the Iraq and Afghan war logs, and the diplomatic cables in November 2010.
What charges did she face?
Miss Manning was transferred to the US, and was formally charged with leaking of classified information.In March 2011 further charges were added, meaning that she faced 22 charges including espionage and aiding the enemy – a charge that carries the death penalty.
On February 28, 2013, Miss Manning pleaded guilty to 10 of the 22 charges. She told the court in a speech that lasted over an hour that said she had leaked the cables "to show the true cost of war".
On August 14, Miss Manning apologised to the court.
"I am sorry that my actions hurt people,” she said.
“I'm sorry that they hurt the United States. I am sorry for the unintended consequences of my actions. When I made these decisions I believed I was going to help people, not hurt people. ... At the time of my decisions I was dealing with a lot of issues."
On August 21, 2013, she was convicted for her role in leaking the classified documents, and sentenced to 35 years.
So why is she being freed?
Miss Manning was initially held at the Quantico base in Virginia, in conditions denounced by the UN as a form of torture.
She was
then transferred to serve her sentence in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and
became something of a celebrity – campaigns for her release sprung up,
and protesters demanded Barack Obama free her on compassionate grounds
after suicide attempts while in prison.
On January 17 the White House announced that Mr Obama had decided to commute the sentence – although Miss Manning would not be pardoned.
One of her lawyers, Nancy Hollander, said that she was would complete her transitioning to a woman. She was given transition hormones in jail but was not allowed to grow her hair.
She could be considering writing a book and advocacy work, but that may depend on army restrictions. She has said she would probably live in Maryland, where her aunt lives.
Miss Manning told The Guardian: “I’m looking forward to breathing the warm spring air again.
“I want that indescribable feeling of connection with people and nature again, without razor wire or a visitation booth.
“I want to be able to hug my family and friends again.
“And swimming – I want to go swimming!”
What will she do now?
Miss Manning will remain an active-duty, unpaid soldier, and as such will be eligible for health care and other benefits from the army.One of her lawyers, Nancy Hollander, said that she was would complete her transitioning to a woman. She was given transition hormones in jail but was not allowed to grow her hair.
She could be considering writing a book and advocacy work, but that may depend on army restrictions. She has said she would probably live in Maryland, where her aunt lives.
Miss Manning told The Guardian: “I’m looking forward to breathing the warm spring air again.
“I want that indescribable feeling of connection with people and nature again, without razor wire or a visitation booth.
“I want to be able to hug my family and friends again.
“And swimming – I want to go swimming!”
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