Background on the Rosenbergs
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were both born in New York City, New York. Both of Julius's parents were born in Russia, as well as Ethel's father, though Ethel's mother was born in Austria. Julius and Ethel began spending time with one another in 1932, but after meeting Ethel's parents, they did not gain a liking to him. Because of this, Julius was forced to visit Ethel in her apartment above the home of her parents. Ethel shared this apartment with her two younger brothers, and upon entering, Julius noticed how heavy an influence Communism had on this family. Everywhere he looked, there were copies of Communist literature and the Daily Worker. Between the years 1932 and 1935, Julius and Ethel became devout Communists. Not surprisingly, the two got married in New York City on June 18, 1939. In March of 1944, information was sent to New York to the Security and Intelligence Division that Julius was a part of the Communist Party. At the time, Julius was employed by the U.S. War Department; therefore, his position was terminated in December of 1945. Both Julius and Ethel were members of the International Workers Order, as well as the Young Communist League.
Rosenberg Connections
In the Summer of 1949, foreign powers learned of the United States' atomic bomb construction, and on February 2, 1950, Emil Julius Klaus Fuchs was arrested. Fuchs admitted to being associated with the Soviet Union sabotage attempt and was arrested, though he did not know who his American contact was. It was later identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that Harry Gold, a chemist from Philadelphia, was Fuchs' American contact. Gold admitted his espionage on May 22, 1950. The discovery of Gold led to the identification of a man by the name of David Greenglass, a U.S. Army enlist and Soviet agent. Harry Gold obtained espionage information from Greenglass, and Greenglass was informed by his leader, Anatoli Yakolev. After interrogation, the FBI learned that Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were the ones who gave the espionage information to David Greenglass, who was the brother of Ethel Rosenberg.
"The following year, Britain revealed that a high-ranking physicist named Klaus Fuchs had spied for the Soviets while working on the Manhattan Project. Finally, in 1951 a federal judge found Julius and Ethel Rosenberg guilty of passing atomic secrets to Soviet agents, and both were eventually sent to the electric chair. Hiss and the Rosenbergs maintained their innocence and their cases became cause célèbres for many liberals. Evidence obtained since the collapse of the Soviet Union has strengthened the case against Hiss and Julius Rosenberg, while suggesting that Ethel’s participation was minimal. Still, scholars continue to debate the guilt of all three." -Gilder Lehrman (Anti-Communism in the 1950's)
"The following year, Britain revealed that a high-ranking physicist named Klaus Fuchs had spied for the Soviets while working on the Manhattan Project. Finally, in 1951 a federal judge found Julius and Ethel Rosenberg guilty of passing atomic secrets to Soviet agents, and both were eventually sent to the electric chair. Hiss and the Rosenbergs maintained their innocence and their cases became cause célèbres for many liberals. Evidence obtained since the collapse of the Soviet Union has strengthened the case against Hiss and Julius Rosenberg, while suggesting that Ethel’s participation was minimal. Still, scholars continue to debate the guilt of all three." -Gilder Lehrman (Anti-Communism in the 1950's)