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Achieve 3000 Article 6 (3rd Quarter)
Before Reading Poll
In the 1950s, Americans feared communism because they felt it threatened democracy in the United States. What do you think?
Fear, whether real or not, can cause people to act in dangerous ways. (CIRCLE ONE)

Agree

Disagree
Explain
Article
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Achieve3000, September 12, 2008). In 1951, Ethel
Rosenberg and her husband Julius were convicted of conspiracy to commit
espionage and were consequently sentenced to death. Now, newly released
transcripts of the court proceedings provide powerful evidence that Ethel's
conviction and execution were based on perjured testimony.
The Rosenberg trial took place during the height of the Cold War. At that time, the
U.S. and the Soviet Union were competing to develop ever more sophisticated
weaponry. Both the democratic United States and the communist Soviet Union believed that successful advancements in
technology would enable them to assert strength and superiority. In 1945, the U.S. set off two atomic bombs, effectively ending
World War II. Four years later, the Soviet Union test-launched an atomic bomb, raising suspicions within the U.S. government.
According to U.S. officials, the test suggested that top-secret atomic weapons information had been stolen by someone within the
U.S. and delivered to the Soviets.
Summarize
Evidence of a spy ring operating within the U.S. was quickly discovered. In 1950, the U.S. learned that David Greenglass, a
machinist who assisted in building atomic bombs for the military in New Mexico, had provided confidential information to a
Soviet spy. Upon his arrest, Greenglass cooperated with authorities and confessed his crimes. He also revealed that his sister's
husband, Julius Rosenberg, had requested information for the Soviets. Greenglass was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The government relentlessly investigated Julius Rosenberg and his wife, Ethel. Officials uncovered proof that Julius had engaged
in espionage, but they had no evidence of Ethel's involvement. Still, after interviewing more than 40 people in front of a grand
jury, prosecutors indicted both Julius and Ethel for conspiracy to commit espionage. Though the pair steadfastly proclaimed their
innocence, the Rosenbergs were convicted in 1951. They were sentenced to death, and in 1953, the U.S. government carried out
the execution.
Summarize
The Rosenberg case was highly controversial, triggering global protests. Some felt the Rosenbergs failed to receive a fair trial.
They said this was a result of their suspected ties to communist organizations during a time of heightened sensitivity to
communism in the U.S. Over the years, the debate never fully died down.
In 2001, the controversy heated up again when David Greenglass, one of the two key witnesses against Ethel, withdrew his
testimony, admitting to reporter Sam Roberts that he had lied under oath about his sister. Greenglass said that prosecutors
encouraged him to accuse Ethel by promising to protect his wife, Ruth, from prosecution. Driven by this pledge, David and Ruth
Greenglass falsely testified that Ethel had typed stolen atomic secrets from notes he had taken. The testimony provided the direct
involvement that the jury needed to convict Ethel and that the judge needed to sentence her to death.
Summarize
Prosecutors had hoped that such evidence would convince Ethel's husband Julius to divulge the names of his communist coconspirators in exchange for her life, but it did not. David Greenglass said he never expected his sister to receive the death
penalty.
The information provided by David Greenglass in 2001 prompted a lawsuit by Sam Roberts and a team of lawyers, historians,
and private organizations. The lawsuit, which was successful, asked the government to release transcripts of the grand jury
testimony that took place before the Rosenberg trial.
After poring over the transcripts of the grand jury testimony, lawyers and historians found that Ruth Greenglass had changed her
story between the grand jury testimony and the trial. Nowhere in her grand jury testimony did Ruth tell the story about
witnessing Ethel type up the secrets. Ruth and David never mentioned that information until days before the trial began. In fact,
in her grand jury testimony, Ruth said she herself wrote out the secrets—in longhand. (That testimony is consistent with
decrypted Soviet communication from the era. In that communication, the Soviets describe material in longhand received from
the Rosenbergs.)
Summarize
According to law professor David Vladeck, the grand jury testimony from Ruth confirms that the trial testimony about Ethel
typing secrets is a complete fabrication.
"The Rosenberg case illustrates the excesses that can occur when we're afraid," said Meredith Fuchs, part of the team that fought
to get the testimony released. "In the 1950s, we were afraid of communism. Today, we're afraid of terrorism. We don't want to
make the same mistakes we made 50 years ago."
In a surprise development, Ethel's innocence was further confirmed this month by a man who was convicted along with the
Rosenbergs on espionage charges in 1951. Morton Sobell, 91, admitted for the first time that he and Julius spied for the Soviet
Union. Sobell said that he believes Ethel was aware of the spy activity, but that she didn't participate herself.
Summarize
PAGE 2
Dig Deeper
As you read in "Case Against Rosenberg Falls Apart," the Rosenberg trial took place in the 1950s, when the Cold War was at its
peak. As the U.S. and the Soviet Union competed for dominance, fear of the spread of communism led many Americans to
believe that members of the Communist party were in their midst, and that these secret Communists were more than likely loyal
to the Soviet Union. Historians often call this wave of fear the "Red Scare."
It wasn't the first time that America had been caught up in this kind of fear. During World War I, which lasted from 1914 to
1918, socialist groups spoke out against the war. Amidst an atmosphere of patriotism, they were seen as unpatriotic. In the years
after the war, socialists were highly visible because of their advocacy for workers' rights. The 1917 communist revolution in
Russia fueled fears that the spread of the socialists' "un-American" beliefs—which shared many similarities with communist
ideology—could ignite a revolution in the U.S., too.
Summarize
When the Cold War developed in the late 1940s, Americans again began to fear that communism could creep into the United
States. In 1947, under pressure to show that he was making every effort to prevent the spread of communism, President Harry S.
Truman established a program to investigate federal government employees. Employees who were suspected of harboring
Communist party loyalties were tried by a Loyalty Board. The purpose of these investigations was to ensure loyalty to the United
States, but the system was not without flaws. The proceedings were often leaked to the media and an anxious public. There was
no penalty for perjury. While the board did not have the authority to imprison people it found guilty, some were fired when they
could not prove their loyalty. Their names were often publicized, and they were denied other jobs.
Fear of communism even reached Hollywood. A congressional group called the House Un-American Activities Committee
(HUAC) investigated communist influence in the entertainment industry, issuing subpoenas to writers, actors, directors, and
studio executives and asking them, "Are you or have you ever been a member of the Communist party?" Suspicious individuals
found themselves on "blacklists" even when there was no evidence of any wrongdoing, and movie studios often refused to hire
them.
Summarize
One of the most famous names associated with the Red Scare is Senator Joseph McCarthy. McCarthy was not affiliated with
HUAC (which involved the House of Representatives, not the Senate). Still, he fed fears of communism by asserting that the
Communist party was influencing and threatening many aspects of American life. He did so to such an extent that the practice of
accusing people of disloyalty without evidence is now known as "McCarthyism."
The atmosphere of the Red Scare fed the zeal behind the Rosenberg trial—and as you read, prompted the government to
condemn even people for whom there was little evidence of guilt.
Summarize
Generate 2 Questions
Activity
1. According to the article, what caused a team of lawyers, historians, and private organizations to launch a lawsuit on behalf of
Ethel Rosenberg?

The fact that Julius Rosenberg, Ethel's husband, had provided information to the Soviet government

The fact that the government lawyers relentless interviewed over 40 witnesses in front of a grand jury

The fact that officials had proof of Julius Rosenberg's involvement, but no evidence of Ethel's guilt

The fact that her brother, David Greenglass, confessed that he had lied under oath about his sister
2. Which information is not in the article?

The year that the Rosenbergs were executed by the U.S. government

The name of a private organization that participated in the lawsuit

The year that Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were sentenced to death

The name of the man who confessed to spying for the Soviet Union
3. Which of these is a statement of opinion?

Ethel Rosenberg was found guilty of conspiracy to commit espionage and was executed.

Ruth Greenglass originally said that she herself wrote out the atomic secrets by hand.

David Greenglass was a machinist who assisted in building bombs for the military.

David and Ruth Greenglass should be charged with causing the death of Ethel Rosenberg.
4. Which is the closest synonym for the word fabrication?

Foreboding

Filament

Falsehood

Foresight
5. What is the eighth paragraph mainly about?

The reason that lawyers and historians concluded that Julius and Ethel Rosenberg had not committed espionage

The reasons that lawyers and historians concluded that Ruth Greenglass had committed perjury during the trial

The methods used by the U.S. government to investigate witnesses who gave testimony at the grand jury

The lawsuit brought by Sam Roberts and his team asking the government to release the grand jury transcripts
6. In the last paragraph, the author presents information about Morton Sobell in order to __________.

Provide additional information that has recently come to light further confirming Ethel Rosenberg's innocence

Prove that there is a clear need for the government to release transcripts of grand jury testimony in important cases

Stress that Ethel Rosenberg knew that her husband was conspiring to commit espionage but did not blame him

Criticize prosecutors at the grand jury trial who failed to get Julius Rosenberg to reveal his co-conspirator's name
7. Which of these should not be included in a summary of this article?

The Rosenberg trial took place at a time of heightened sensitivity to communism.

The military facility where atomic bombs were built was located in New Mexico.

David Greenglass confessed to Sam Roberts that he had lied about Ethel Rosenberg.

Newly released information indicates that Ruth Greenglass gave false testimony.
8. The article states:
Prosecutors had hoped that such evidence would convince Ethel's husband Julius to divulge the names of his communist coconspirators in exchange for her life, but it did not.
Which would be the closest synonym for the word divulge?

Disrupt

Disengage

Dismantle

Disclose
Thought Question
Explain why Americans were so afraid of the Soviet Union and communism. What was the government's response to this fear, and
what was the outcome of this response? Support your response with information from the lesson.
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