The Greenglass Testimony, And The Rosenbergs

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As Roberts claims, the Rosenbergs, along with others, doubted Greenglass’ competence because, a modest mechanic could not grasp the science behind the atomic bomb (401). Henry Linschitz, a scientist who worked on The Manhattan Project, further belittles Greenglass’ involvement, arguing it is impossible to put onto paper years of development by someone of Greenglass’ background (407). Similarly, Roger M. Anders supports Roberts’s claims in his article “The Rosenberg Case Revisited: The Greenglass Testimony and the Protection of Atomic Secrets.” Anders reports of a careful interrogation of Greenglass, which led the FBI to believe Greenglass’ confusion emerged in the trial’s cross-examination due to his lack of atomic knowledge. In addition to…show more content…
The Rosenbergs’ trial potentially was clouded from the all-encompassing panic affecting America during the trial. (1-3). Likewise, seeing Communism gain ground worldwide and uncovering of Communist spies in America, worsened this panic (68). Senator Joseph McCarthy further added to the panic. In Goldstones book McCarthy is quoted, “I have here in my hand a list of 205 who were known to the secretary of the state as members of the Communist Party, and who, nevertheless, are still working and shaping policy in the State Department” (57). McCarthy’s declaration created a strong belief against all communist, claiming them as wicked. McCarthy created a wave of hysteria throughout America. Similarly Goldston explains, McCarthy’s accusations of Communists’ threats stayed in the newspaper for years. He even created panic with other government workers, who became scared to cross McCarthy for fear of turning into his next victim (146). As a result of this panic, Americans began to believe because Roosevelt and Truman did not actively fight against Communist America became infiltrated with traitorous spies. From this belief, America’s general public was convinced the Soviet Union’s success with Atomic weaponry had resulted from communist spies (67). The American public hated every Communist from the panic, which…show more content…
As Clune explains, a month before the trial began the Join Congressional Committee on Atomic Energy, a government organization, met to debate how to force the Rosenbergs talk, deciding to search for a judge willing to impose the death penalty (267). Myles Lanes, one of the prosecutors of the trial, similarly believed acquiring Julius’ confess required the death penalty (396). Clune additionally advocates the FBI forced Greenglass to falsely testimony against Ethel. At the start of the trial, the FBI threatened to bring legal action against Ruth; Greenglass suddenly provided new information about Ethel’s involvement in the case (267). The FBI planned to use Ethel to force Julius to confess (266). Consequentially, these errors in the handling of the case before the start of the trial lead to further errors emerging in the trial. As Kostin and Feklisov further proclaim, no FBI officers testified, instead the trail focused on the Rosenbergs Communist beliefs (301). Comparably, the jury had major flaws. Moreover according to Philip Mendes, author of “The Melebourne Jewish Left, Communism, and the Cold War”, not a single Jewish juror convicted the Rosenbergs (513). Therefore, the lack of Jewish jurors would have made a jury without the Rosenbergs’ faith. Secondly Root says, jurors were sent home daily during the trial, and only asked to ignore the trial’s publicity in an
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