Lori Clune, in Executing the Rosenbergs: Death and Diplomacy in a Cold War World (New York: Oxford University Press, 2016), effectively argues that the role of America to prove that it is an anti-communist country during the Cold War pushed the country to its limits when it comes to the potential propaganda opportunities. As well as the cause and effect of executing the Rosenbergs, an American Jewish family, convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage for the Soviet Union, which resulted in a detrimental image that led to consequences for the United States on the international stage. In her research, Dr. Clune uses multiple types of sources, both primary and secondary. Dr. Clune’s basis of her argument stemmed from the discovery of missing …show more content…
The Truman administration had used this case to set a precedent not only at home in the United States but also abroad as their stance against communism. Clune uses this initial beginning to show that the case was essentially used as a piece of propaganda for the country to wield to the international stage to promote the United States’ strong democracy and condemn the acts of communism. She does this by showcasing that the case against both of the Rosenbergs’ was weaker than the American government had portrayed it; but in order to help keep the image of a strong anti-communist country, the case was manipulated to help fit the propaganda mold that the United States needed in order to help boost its declining international …show more content…
“Latin Americans pushed opposition to the execution further, labeling the persecution of the couple as bullying and proof of United States imperialism (Clune, 103).” This was a standard reaction to the Rosenberg case on the international level. The viewpoints about the actions of the United States varied from whether one was looking from the outside into America, or from America to the outside world. Clune spends a large part of her book putting this in perspective; on one hand the American government saw many if not most of the opposition to the decision coming from communist based groups. While on the international playing field, many groups both communist based and non-communist based disagree with the political flexing that America does in order to prove to the world that America is anti- communist. In the end, it came to be noted that the Rosenbergs’ case was propaganda for the United States to showcase democratic
One of the biggest fears of the American people is that the concept of communism contrasts drastically from the concept of capitalism, which the United States was essentially founded upon. The United States, as the public believed, was not a land of perfect communal equality, but rather a land of equal opportunity. However, what made communism so dangerous can be succinctly described by Eisenhower who compared the spread of communism as the domino effect. As his secretary of state, Dulles, put it, the propagation of communism “would constitute a threat to the sovereignty and independence” of America (Doc B). In addition, the Cold War also planted the seeds of rational fear of a global nuclear war. As Russia caught up to the United States in terms of technological advancements, they successfully developed the atomic bomb as well as the hydrogen bomb, which caused Americans to believe that the USSR would use these weapons of mass destruction to forcefully extend their ideologies to the USA. In fact, Americans were so frantic about a potential nuclear disaster that it...
To get a clear view and understanding of the book, first must review the time period in history. The book was written in the mid 1950's during the cold war. Former General McCarthy, then U.S. Senator started a fire ball of suspicion, suppression, and incarceration. This had a very huge impact on the entrainment industry, which included everyone from playwrights to filmmakers, as well as writers and actors. If anyone in that time period was suspected of being a communist, the government could come and pull them out of their home. At the least a suspected communist would be banned, or put on a black ball list. Printed in the Times, McCarthy's First Slander, "Overnight, his speech sparked a media firestorm that played to the basest fears of Americans swept up in a frightening cold war and triggered loyalty oaths, blacklists and personal betrayals that cost an estimated 10,000 Americans their jobs and some shattered innocents their lives." (Johanna McGeary 28) This happened to a number of actors and film makers during that time period. The black ball list was a list of names of people who were believed to be communist. The people on this list came from the movie industry as well as writers. These people would no longer be able to get work ...
The United States were in favor of democracy and capitalism while the Soviet Union sought for the chances of influencing communism. The Cold War did not involve the use of physical arms, but was intensely fought. Propaganda, economic aids, Arms Race, and the creation of alliances were the main methods to fight the war. The use of propaganda played a crucial role in containment by criticizing the other power and raising the morale and spirit of their nation. The economic support for nations helped them recover from the desperate situation after World War II, which prevented the nations from falling under communism.
during the Cold War era that led to the rise of McCarthyism. He discusses the effects of
According to Miller, the political representatives in the United States were abusing their power. Senator McCarthy labeled and targeted many citizens of the United States as communists. After making “a list of two hundred and five people that were known as… being members of the Communist Party”, he went after them claiming they were unloyal to the US and that they were spies for the communist party. The abuse of power in the United States is demonstrated through the actions of the court in The Crucible. The court, consisting of Danforth, Parris, and Hawthorne, pursue the townspeople that are accused of being witches. They use their power to “try” people of their crimes, but real evidence that the person is a witch is never brought up. The way the people are claimed guilty or not was all up to the judgement of the court after hearing a testimony that may or may not be true. The comparison between the two is they both contain over powering leaders that make decisions based on unverified facts. Likewise, Herblock’s “It’s ok… we’re hunting communists” cartoon portrays how McCarthy took cha...
A 21st century audience would look at the play from the perspective of needless hysteria and accusations and would be amazed that human nature when put into these situations reacts the way it does in the play. In modern time we are able to appreciate the play without being concerned with the parallels of McCarthyism. Although my selected scene is only three-quarters way through the play it is very conclusive in the way that it shows the ability of the court to accept the condemnations of people looking for vengeance and the girls’ lies throughout the trials. The historical background to the play, although quite old still relates to human life and behaviour. It shows the willingness of human beings to blame anyone but themselves.
During the 1960s through the 1990s the United States was involved in a diplomatic standoff with the Soviet Union. Both nations were preparing nuclear weapons to immediate the other. Throughout the world communism was being spread by the power Soviet forces and the United States created the Truman Doctrine to stop the spread of communism in Turkey and Greece. They continued to combat the spread through wars and “rebellions”. Through the extent of the Cold War, the United States made it their mission to stop the spread of communism. This plan both worked and failed in diplomacy throughout Europe, Latin America, and Asia.
Just as it was a sin drift on to the side of the devil in the time of the crucible, it was the same to drift on to the side of communism in the 1950's, when Arthur Miller wrote this play. In the 1950's Senator Joe Macarthy set up a campaign to rid the United States of all communist supporters. These communist trials would be broadcast on national television. It would involve the accused to admit their guilt even though they were completely innocent, and give the names of 10 other would-be communists or face exile, torture, invasion of family privacy etc. Arthur Miller uses the events of the Salem witch-hunts to represent and show what the communist trials of the 1950's were. They were both based on false premises and paranoia, and as more people got involved, more people suffered, this can be summarised by calling it the 'Snowball effect.
“The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse” (Burke). Lies, power, and selfishness can destroy families, friendships, and towns. When a person has power, they may not use it properly. There have been many instances where this has happened, but two main examples are in the novel The Crucible, and in McCarthyism. The Crucible is connected to McCarthyism by its model of a desire for power, unsubstantiated accusations, and the detrimental effects of these accusations.
The Rosenberg trial, which ended in a double execution in 1953, was one of the century's most controversial trials. It was sometimes referred to as, "the best publicized spy hunt of all times" as it came to the public eye in the time of atom-spy hysteria. Husband and wife, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, were charged with conspiracy to commit espionage. Most of the controversy surrounding this case came from mass speculation that there were influences being reinforced by behind-the-scenes pressure, mainly from the government, which was detected through much inconsistencies in testimonies and other misconduct in the court. Many shared the belief that Ethel Rosenberg expressed best as she wrote in one of her last letters before being executed, "-knowing my husband and I must be vindicated by history.
The attitude of the citizens of the United States was a tremendous influence on the development of McCarthyism. The people living in the post World War II United States felt fear and anger because communism was related with Germany, Italy, and Russia who had all at one point been enemies of the United States during the war. If the enemies were communists then, communists were enemies and any communists or even communist sympathizers were a threat to the American way of life. "From the Bolshevik Revolution on, radicals were seen as foreign agents or as those ...
In The Murder of Helen Jewett, Patricia Cohen uses one of the most trivial murders during the 1800’s to illustrate the sexiest society accommodations to the privileged, hypocritical tunneled views toward sexual behavior, and the exploitation of legal codes, use of tabloid journalism, and politics. Taking the fact that woman was made from taking a rib from man was more than biblical knowledge, but incorporated into the male belief that a woman’s place is determined by the man. Helen had the proper rearing a maid servant, but how did she fall so far from grace. Judge Weston properly takes credit for rearing her with the proper strictness and education. Was Helen seduced at an early age and introduced to sexual perversions that were more persuasive that the bible belt life that the Weston’s tried to live? Was Helen simply a woman who knew how to use what she had to get what she wanted? Through personal correspondence, legal documentation, census reports, paintings, and newspapers we are able to make our own determinations. Cohen provides more than enough background and history to allow any one to make their own opinion how the murder of a woman could be turned into a side show at a circus.
THESIS : “ The United States didn’t want to get involved in the Spanish-American War, but was dragged into it due to yellow journalism, they wanted to control the seas, and wanted complete control over Cuba.”
The Rosenberg’s both began life in New York City, New York. Julius Rosenberg was born May 12, 1918. Ethel Rosenberg nee Greenglass was born September 28, 1915. The two were the first couple ever to be executed by the United States Government on June 19, 1953. Julius & Ethel Rosenberg were also the first Americans to be tried, convicted and, again, executed for the act of espionage, which could have been a turning point of World War II.
According to Karrington (2007), "During the Cold War, both American and the Soviet Union used propaganda in order to ensure that their populations would hate the enemy and support the government,” (1).... ... middle of paper ... ... Volume 4, Number 1, Winter 2002.