Synopsis of the Rosenberg Trial
Synopsis of the Rosenberg Trial
The Rosenberg trial, which ended in a double execution in 1953, was one of America’s more controversial trials. It is sometimes referred to as, “. . the best publicized spy hunt of all times. . .” as it came to the public eye in the time of the 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 much speculation that there were influences being reinforced by behind-the-scenes pressure, mainly from the government, which was detected through many inconsistencies in testimonies and other misconduct in 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...We [Julius and Ethel Rosenberg] are the first victims of American Fascism.” The Rosenbergs were found guilty of their crimes for a variety of factors, namely their history of involvement in the Communist party, the testimony of David Greenglass, the involvement of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the testimony of David Greenglass, the bias of Judge Kaufman, and the F. B. I.’s flagrant abuse of power. These factors or evidence also prove the Rosenberg’s innocence.
Many people believed that the Rosenbergs had a vulnerable background which made the couple fall victim to the government. One of the more incriminating factors involving the history of the Rosenbergs (specifically the history of Julius Rosenberg) was their involvement in the Communist Party. Julius Rosenberg was involved in various Communist organizations including that of the Federation of Architects, Engineers, Chemists, and Technicians (F. A. E. C. T.), a rather radical union for professionals. In September 1940, Julius Rosenberg was hired by the United States Army Signal Corps as a junior engineer, but was fired in March 1945 because he was found to be a member of the Communist party. However, during this time Julius Rosenberg had terminated his membership in the Communist Party and stopped attending various other Communist-affiliated groups. The reason given was, “. . . no longer interested in the Communist literature presented to me [Julius Rosenberg]. . .” He was employed in 1945 with Emerson Radio. Finally, in 1946 Bernard Greenglass, his brother-in-law, asked him to join...