Julius & Ethel Rosenberg Trial

Anatoli Yakovlev

Anatoli Yakovlev was confirmed to have been the recipient of classified information. He then passed on this information to his superiors.

"Incapability" of Russians to create atomic bomb

Another reason for the trial was that the US genuinely believed that the Soviet Union was incapable of producing an atomic bomb without stolen intelligence. When it was found that the Russians had detonated a bomb, the FBI director ordered a full on search for the "thieves." This sentiment in part contributed to the harshness of the verdict. The method of making a bomb was therefore thought to be stolen from US scientists.

David Greenglass

David Greenglass was reported to have passed on confidential information to Ethel regarding the development of the atomic bomb. It is speculated that this information was then used by the Soviets. He eventually became very fond of Julius and was completely wrapped up in Julius' communist agenda.

Ethel Rosenberg

Ethel Rosenberg was born Ethel Greenglass on September 28, 1915. Ethel worked as a clerk for several years after she graduated from high school, in 1931. Ethel and Julius began to conspire about releasing secrets to the Soviet Union in 1940. She was brought to trial on the same date as her husband, Julius. Both were convicted and executed. This was the first time that a US citizen suffered this penalty during times of peace.

Background on family history

Julius Rosenberg first began associating with Ethel Greenglass around 1932. Julius was detested by Ethel's parents and was prohibited from going to visit her at her parents' house from 1932 to 1935. During this time, he frequented her apartment. From the FBI Official Website: "During that period Ethel and her two younger brothers, Bernard and David, occupied an apartment on a floor above the home of their parents. Julius Rosenberg would visit Ethel frequently at this upstairs apartment, which was littered with copies of Communist Party literature and the Daily Worker."

Julius Rosenberg

Julius Rosenberg was born on May 12, 1918 in New York. He was discharged from the army in 1945 for having lied about his membership in the Communist Party. He received detailed information about the building and maintenance of an atomic bomb from David Greenglass, who was a sergeant in the US army at the time. Julius later turned over this information to Harry Gold, who in turn gave it to Anatoly A. Yakovlev, the vice consul from the Soviet Union in New York. He was arrested swiftly after Gold, who was arrested on May 23, 1950. Julius, along with Ethel, was tried and sentenced to death.

Communist Faith

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg took a liking to communist literature. Soon, they began thinking that nothing was more important than the communist cause.

Execution

On June 19, 1953, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed. This caused a public outcry because of the lack of information leading to their arrest and execution. The public thought that justice was not served properly.

Refusal to grant executive clemency

On June 19, 1953, the POTUS refused to grant a pardon to either Julius or Ethel Rosenberg. He officially blamed the Rosenbergs for grave acts of spying that could have led to millions of deaths. He stated that the Rosenbergs "immeasurably increased the chances of atomic war."

Legislation during the era

The Rosenbergs were arrested at the height of the communist witch hunt. The HUAC would interview thousands of people, expecting that they would turn their neighbors and people in their community in as communists. The McCarran Internal Security Act of 1950 was a piece of legislation that was extremely unfair in its wording. It stated that people who belonged in any way shape or form to the Communist Party had their their allegiance with the Soviet Union and not the United States.

Hysteria

The fact that a mother, father, and longtime citizens could be conspiring against the US fed the growing fire of fear spread by Senator Joe McCarthy. It turned out that anyone could be a criminal in hiding. This caused a frenzy in the public. If anyone could be radicalized, they would have to watch out for conspiracies in their own backyard. In many ways, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were perfectly ordinary people. Yet they still participated willingly in giving information to the communists. This only reinforced McCarthy's agenda and led to peak in the amount of people hunted for treasonous crimes.

Reasons for response

There were many reasons for such a harsh response. Among them was the fact that the Soviet Union and the United States did not have a good relationship. Both countries were hungry for each other's secrets. Despite there being not much evidence against them, the Rosenbergs still faced the highest punishment. The government of the US was on the defensive against information attacks from the Soviet Union.