The Rosenbergs

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The history of the United States is full of unsolved mysteries. One of the greatest mysteries which occurred in 1953 was the electrocution of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg under the Espionage Act. They were convicted for giving the secret information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. The anti-communist sentiment that characterized the Cold War and McCarthyism led to their trial and execution. Even though there is some evidence of the Rosenbergs' guilt, numerous facts which were discovered after the death of Ethel and Julius argue more convincingly that they were innocent victims of Cold War hysteria. the United States almost as soon as Nazi Germany was defeated in 1945."(Larsen,24) Before the elections in 1946, the U.S.Chamber of Commerce published a pamphlet which had a title - "Communist Infiltration in the United States: Its Nature and How to Combat It." This pamphlet was suppose to show that the New Deal programs of Franklin Roosevelt initiated the beginning of communism in the United States. Before World War II, the Communist Party was considered legal. However, starting in 1950, people could be prosecuted if they were members of the Party. (Larsen,24)
The Cold War started to develop between the United States and the Soviet Union in the middle of the twentieth century. Senator Joseph R. McCarthy, became the main anti-communistic figure in U.S. government. On February 9,1950 he said that "Communism not only threatened capitalism but that Russia was a moral enemy of the United States." (Moss,Wilson,220) He organized HUAC, The House Un-American Activities Committee. McCarthy held hearings where he asked people whether they have ever participated in communist activities. The ones who answered yes were blacklisted and could not find jobs. People who came before the committee also had an option to "take the Fifth." The Fifth Amendment gave people the right against self-incrimination, meaning that they did not have to testify or give evidence against themselves. However, most of the people who "took the fifth," were under suspicion. The "red scare hysteria grew."(Larsen,25) The Internal Security Act of 1950 made not only political actions illegal but also political beliefs. The word "communist" became synonymous with the word "Russian spy." ( Larsen,...

... middle of paper ...

... years back, but most of the evidence proves that Julius and Ethel were innocent victims of the Cold War hysteria.
Larsen, Anita. The Rosenbergs. New York:Crestwood House, 1992.

Meeropol, Robert and Michael. "Michael Meeropol Statement on Ethel and Julius Rosenberg."1995. http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/meeropol/-on-rosenbergs.html (15 Jan. 1998).

Moss, Joyce. "George Wilson." Profiles in American History. Ed. Carol DeKane Nagel. Vol.7. Detroit:
Gale Research, Inc., 1995.

Okun, Rob A., ed.The Rosenbergs. New York"Universe Books, 1988.

Pizzo, Stephen. "The Rosenberg Communiques." 1997. http://webreview.com/news/natl/rosenberg/index.html (15 Jan.1998.)

Radosh, Ronald. "Final Verdict." The New Republic 7 April 1997:12

Radosh, Ronald. "Proof the Rosenbergs spied." The New Republic 22 October 1990:9.

Radosh, Ronald, and Joyce Milton. The Rosenberg File. New York: Holt,Rinehard and Winston, 1983.

Sarle, Betty. "The Rosenberg Fund for Children." Social AlternativesOct.1993 :43.

Tornburn, David. "The Rosenberg Letters." 1997. http://www.-polisci.mit.edu/bostonreview.html (15 Jan. 1998.)

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