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- [00:01]
Vanessa Richardson
Hi everyone, it's Vanessa. Big news. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is now on YouTube. Every Saturday, I'll be dropping a full video episode going deep on the real people and dark truths behind the world's most infamous conspiracies. Same show, same depth, same commitment to the dark truth. Now you can watch it. Subscribe to Conspiracy Theories, Cults and crimes on YouTube to catch a new video episode every Saturday.
- [00:38]
Carter Roy
This is crime house.
- [00:44]
Vanessa Richardson
On the evening of July 17, 1957, year old Michael Rosenberg was sprawled out on his living room floor. He was listening to the radio. Captivated by a story about cowboys and bandits rose. Michael was trying to get his mind off things. Lately his parents had been noticeably stressed, speaking in hushed tones and spending less time outside the apartment.
- [01:07]
Carter Roy
Michael didn't know what was going on, but he was grateful that everything was calm tonight. His little brother, two year old Robert was already asleep in the other room. Michael was wrapped up in the story on the radio when suddenly the apartment door swung open.
- [01:23]
Vanessa Richardson
Three men in black suits stepped into the living room and turned off the broadcast. They announced they were there to speak with Julius Rosenberg, then stormed into the other room where Michael's parents were. Michael heard his mother Ethel cry out, I want a lawyer. But it was no use. Julius was taken away that night. Less than a month later, Ethel would be too. Michael and Robert would never see their parents outside a prison cell and ever again. From UFO cults and mass suicides to secret CIA experiments, presidential assassinations and murderous doctors, these aren't just theories. They're real stories that blur the line between fact and fiction. I'm Vanessa Richardson and this is Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes. A Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Every Wednesday, Wednesday and Friday, I'll explore the real people at the center of the world's most shocking events and nefarious organizations.
- [02:30]
Carter Roy
And I'm Carter Roy, host of True Crime stories. Crime House is made possible by you follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes and true crime stories wherever you listen and subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts for ad free early access to each two part series.
- [02:51]
Vanessa Richardson
Before we dive in, I have some exciting news. We've heard your feedback and starting next week, Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is going three times a week with additional Monday episodes on the world's most shocking conspiracy theories. Those are also going to be on YouTube with full video. You can find them starting this Saturday. Just search for conspiracy theories, cults and crimes and be sure to like and subscribe. Now let's get started. Today we're continuing our deep dive into the story of the Rosenbergs. Last time we met Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, we learned about their love story, their family and Julius descent into the world of espionage. As World War II came to a close and the Cold War ramped up, the FBI went on the offensive, searching for Soviet spies in their midst. Eventually they identified several undercover agents, including Ethel's brother, David Greenglass. In June of 1950, he was arrested for conspiracy to commit espionage.
- [03:54]
Carter Roy
Once the FBI had David in their custody, the floodgates opened. He led the bureau straight to Julius and Ethel. What followed was one of the most controversial trials in U.S. history. Both Rosenbergs were labeled traitors and faced the death penalty. But in the 75 years since their fates were sealed, many questions remain. We're still wondering, was justice truly served? Or did the US Government choose to kill an innocent woman just to prove a point? All that and more coming up.
- [04:37]
Vanessa Richardson
On April 6, 1917, the United States officially entered World War I. Three months later, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Espionage act into law. It set hard punishments, big fines and up to 20 years in prison for any individual who encouraged disloyalty to the government or interfered in national security matters. The Espionage act was almost exclusively written to target the budding left wing movement, anti war activists, labor organizers and immigrants. But the disloyalty it claimed to target was broad enough that almost anyone who disagreed with the government could be convicted. And three decades later, leftist politics had once again become the primary target of the US government.
- [05:26]
Carter Roy
By 1950, the Cold War was in full swing with the US and the Soviet Union going head to head in a battle of ideologies. In America, anti Communist sentiment was reaching a fever pitch. Politicians like Senator Joseph McCarthy, the head of the House UN American Activities Committee, stoked those fears. Thousands of suspected communists were investigated for having alleged ties to the ussr. President Dwight Eisenhower encouraged the witch hunt, but his main focus was on weeding out spies, Americans who had been secretly passing along information to the Soviets. In early 1950, the floodgates broke open when a German born nuclear physicist named Klaus Fuchs was arrested by British intelligence. For years he'd worked on the Manhattan Project at the Los Alamos laboratory in New Mexico. Under questioning, he quickly confessed to passing along atomic secrets to the ussr. But more importantly, he named his co conspirators. Eventually the trail led back to 28 year old David Greenglass, who'd worked alongside Fuchs at Los Alamos. The FBI had hard evidence that David was a spy for the KGB. And on June 15, 1950, he was arrested for conspiracy to commit espionage. But David wasn't the FBI's real target. His brother in law, 32 year old Julius Rosenberg was.
- [07:09]
Vanessa Richardson
By then Julius had been on the FBI's radar for several months, if not years. Back in 1945 he was fired from his job at the Army Signal Corps engineering laboratories after his bosses learned he'd previously been a member of the Communist party. Since then the US Government had been trying to gather more information on Julius and other potential agents through a program called the Venona Project. The goal was to decrypt messages from Soviet intelligence. After Klaus Fuchs and other possible conspirators were arrested, the FBI ramped up its efforts. And on February 8, 1950, the Congressional Joint Committee on Atomic Energy met in secret. A collection of 20 senior government officials discussed what to do about Julius. The chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Gordon Dean, kicked off the proceedings with a grave comment, quote, it looks as though Rosenberg is the kingpin of a very large ring and if there's any way of breaking him by having the shadow of a death penalty over him, we want to do it. But first they needed to gather more evidence. That's when David Greenglass came back into the picture.
- [08:25]
Carter Roy
After David was arrested on June 15, 1950, the FBI threatened to put his wife Ruth on trial too. They even said she could get the death penalty. David panicked. He told the FBI that he'd been forced into the whole thing by his brother in law Julius and his sister, 34 year old Ethel. That was exactly what the Bureau wanted to hear. They were already thinking of how they would make the case against Julia stick. And they floated the idea of implicating Ethel too, which would be more difficult because they didn't actually have any evidence that XI was a spy. During the meeting with the Atomic Energy Commission, US Attorney Miles Lane waved away this fact. He said it was important for the country that XI be given a hard sentence. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, who was dead set on unraveling the left, agreed. He thought going after Ethel would make Julius spill his secrets. And with David in their back pocket, they were ready to execute their plan.
- [09:34]
Vanessa Richardson
The evening of July 17, 1950 was stifling. The heat and humidity lingered even after the sun went down. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg had been stewing in their apartment for weeks while waiting for something, anything to happen. The Soviets had told the family to get out of the country. They'd given the Rosenbergs falsified documents and a plan to get across the Mexican border where they could then fly to Switzerland. And go to the Czechoslovakian embassy. But Julius and Ethel were biding their time. Ethel's brother David was in FBI custody and Julius and Ethel had just gotten some very bad news. David had agreed to testify against both of them in exchange for a lesser sentence. But David was family and Ethel still loved him. Plus David's wife Ruth was pregnant. To make matters worse, Ruth was currently in the hospital with severe burns after something she was cooking caught on fire. Ethel and Julius wanted to support her and keep her company. So for now all the Rosenbergs could do was see, sit and wait.
- [10:44]
Carter Roy
At around 9pm on July 17, the FBI finally arrived. Julius and Ethel's son 7 year old Michael was listening to the radio when they came in. The agents explained that Julius had been charged with conspiracy to commit espionage. Ethel told the agent she wanted a lawyer but ultimately there was nothing she could do for her husband. Two agents took Julius away to FBI headquarters. Later that night he was brought to the federal courthouse. Another agent drove Ethel and her sons to his arraignment hearing. That night Ethel tried to put on a brave face for Michael and her other son, two year old Robert. Michael asked if his dad was coming home that night. Ethel said not tonight. She didn't have the heart to tell him he probably wouldn't be coming home for a long time.
- [11:40]
Vanessa Richardson
Julius was arraigned before a U.S. district Judge of the Southern District of New York. Emmanuel Manny Block, a fellow communist party member who had represented several wrongfully accused workers stepped in pro bono as Julius's attorney. Julius's bail was set at $100,000, the equivalent of over $1.3 million today which he was unable to pay. He was put in the custody of the U.S. marshals and sent away to the federal house of detention on 11th and West Streets. By the end of the night Julius's arrest had become international news. The head of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover called him quote, another important link in the Soviet espionage apparatus. The press made sure to highlight the Rosenbergs membership in the Communist party just as they had when Harry Gold and David Greenglass were arrested. And and that wasn't the only similarity.
- [12:38]
Carter Roy
From the beginning the threat of the death penalty hung over Harry Gold and David Greenglass. The FBI made sure they knew what was at risk if they didn't talk. Both of them confessed and named their fellow spies. The same threats were made against Julius Rosenberg. But this time things didn't go the way the FBI had expected. Expected? He refused to confess or give up any names. This was critical because it gave his co conspirators time to escape. Joel Barr Julius oldest friend, had already been living in Paris for years to avoid the FBI, and he'd recently managed to get a new identity and move to South Africa with another spy named Alfred Sarant. Julius had recruited his friend from City College, Morton Sobel, to spy for the KGB years ago. When Morton found out Julius had been arrested, he fled to Mexico City with his family in tow. He wasn't able to get a fake passport to get to Europe, but he figured he'd be safe in Mexico for the moment at least. Julius was giving the FBI a run for their money, but his loyalty did have consequences, and his wife, Ethel would end up as collateral damage.
- [14:05]
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- [15:03]
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- [15:13]
Carter Roy
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- [15:16]
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- [15:33]
Vanessa Richardson
On August 7, 1950, 34 year old Ethel Rosenberg was subpoenaed to appear before a confidential federal grand jury. But before she took the stand, her brother was called to testify and 28 year old David Greenglass described how Ethel's husband, 32 year old Julius, had recruited him to spy for the Soviets. According to David, Julius had given him one half of a cardboard jello box. Harry Gold, the courier who worked with David and Klaus Fuchs At Los Alamos had the other half. David said this was how Harry Gold had identified himself as David's so called handler. Beyond that, David didn't say much. It was obvious the prosecutors wanted him to reveal more information about Ethel's role in the whole operation. They asked David repeatedly about it, but his answer never changed until finally he said, quote, I said before and say it again honestly, this is a fact. I never spoke to my sister about this at all, end quote. Meaning he never talked to her about any of the work he did with Julius or the other operatives.
- [16:42]
Carter Roy
When it was Ethel's turn to testify, she was just as tight lipped. She answered questions about her background, but when she was asked about the espionage, she exercised her fifth amendment right against self incrimination. Ethel went home to her sons confident that her innocence had been asserted. But the government had already made up its mind before she even took the stand. Four days after her grand jury testimony on August 11, 1950, Ethel was arrested for conspiracy to commit espionage and held at $100,000 bail, just like her husband. Although the government had no real evidence against Ethel, they needed her if they were going to get Julius to crack. Which meant they had to find something, anything to pin on her. For that they turned to her brother.
- [17:36]
Vanessa Richardson
The Rosenbergs were set to stand trial on March 6, 1951. The FBI used the six months until then to build their case against the couple. In the media, Julius and Ethel were labeled as traitors to their country. In jail, the prosecutors repeatedly threatened them with the death penalty. They were barely allowed to see their kids, who bounced between relatives and temporary foster homes after Ethel's arrest. As if that wasn't bad enough, the authorities had caught up with Morton Sobel in Mexico City. He claimed he was kidnapped by the Mexican secret police and brought back to the United States where he too was charged with conspiracy to commit espionage. Behind the scenes, the government threatened Ruth Greenglass, David's wife, with the same charges. But they were willing to make a deal. They'd drop the case if the Greenglasses told them what they needed to hear.
- [18:31]
Carter Roy
When David initially testified before the grand jury, he swore he'd never spoken to his sister Ethel about any of his activities. But by February 25, 1951, 10 days before the Rosenbergs trial, David changed his tune. He and Ruth put out a public statement claiming the following. They said that in 1945, David brought over the notes about the atomic bomb to the Rosenbergs apartment. After Julius reviewed them, Ethel had been the one to type up the report to the Soviets. This completely contradicted what David had previously told prosecutors. That Ruth had been the one to type up the documents. But the government didn't care. The next day, all charges against Ruth were were dropped. It was the worst thing that could have happened for Julius and Ethel ahead of their trial, especially because the government had a trick up its sleeve in the form of a young attorney named Roy Cohn.
- [19:39]
Vanessa Richardson
Like Julius and Ethel, Cohn was born to a Jewish family in New York. But that's where their similarities ended. Cohn was almost a decade younger than the Rosenbergs, born in 1927 and grew up very privileged. He was the only child of Albert C. Cohn, a prominent New York lawyer who became a judge on the New York State Supreme Court. When Cohn was young, his mother came from extreme wealth. Her father founded the bank of United States and her uncle was Joshua Lionel Cowan, who built a financial empire out of toy trains. Cohn graduated from Columbia University at 19 years old, then followed in his father's footsteps and spent another year at Columbia Law School. But unlike his father, who was an active member of the Democratic Party, Cohn drifted toward conservative politics. Soon after passing the bar, he joined the board of the American Jewish League Against Communism. After that, he used his father's connections to become an assistant U.S. attorney. At just 21 years old, Cohn quickly
- [20:45]
Carter Roy
showed he had the skills to sniff out and convict suspected communists. But when Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were arrested, he sensed an opportunity to take things a step further and really make a name for himself. The first hurdle was getting David Greenglass to agree to testify against Ethel. By then, David had already fabricated the story about Ethel typing up the notes. In return, the government had dropped its case against him and Ruth. But now they needed David to repeat his story in front of the jury. When he resisted, Cohn threatened to bring new espionage charges against Ruth. It was enough to convince David to testify against his own sister. Cohen's next step was tapping U.S. attorney Irving Saypol as chief prosecutor, meaning he and Cohn would work together on behalf of the government. Cohn also helped get Judge Erving Kaufman on the bench. Like Cohn, they had both grown up in affluent Jewish New York families and were extremely anti Communist. The Rosenbergs charges conspiracy to commit espionage didn't necessarily carry the punishment of execution. Both the FBI and the Department of Justice were opposed to giving the Rosenbergs the death penalty. But Roy Cohn was out to smear Julius and Ethel as treasonous Americans and bad Jews. He thought they deserved to die for their crimes and hoped Kaufman would agree
- [22:26]
Vanessa Richardson
The Rosenbergs trial began on March 6, 1951 with Martin Sobel being charged as a co defendant. All three of them pleaded not guilty. There was initially a fourth co defendant, Martin David Greenglass. He was still present in the courtroom. But since he'd pleaded guilty and become the prosecution's most important witness, he was no longer on trial. David's testimony was detailed. He explained how he became a part of the Manhattan Project and how Julius recruited him into his spy network. And crucially, David expanded on his testimony about Ethel, in addition to the story about Ethel typing up the atomic bomb notes. And he claimed she had contacted his wife Ruth to help convince David to become a spy. Of course this contradicted his previous statements. But Manny Block, the Rosenberg's defense attorney, was deliberately never shown these transcripts, meaning he couldn't contest David's claims. And thanks to Roy Cohn and the prosecution, things only got worse from there.
- [23:31]
Carter Roy
Over the next few days more witnesses took the stand. Harry Gold, David's Soviet handler who was also cooperating with the government, testified about passing along secrets from Julius Max Licher, who had gone to City College with Julius. And Morton Sobel also testified. He said he had turned them down when they asked if he wanted to spy for the Soviets. Elizabeth Bentley, the spy who had turned herself in, also swore that she had met Julius through her Soviet contacts. Things weren't looking good for Julius. The only silver lining was the possibility that Ethel might be acquitted. After all, the only thing the prosecution had against her was David's testimony. But proving her innocence to the jury wasn't going to be easy.
- [24:23]
Vanessa Richardson
35 year old Ethel Rosenberg was pretty shaken up by the time she took the witness stand. For months she'd been vilified in the press as an Adam spy. Her chronic illnesses which gave her significant back pain had gotten worse while in jail. And now her own brother who she helped raise had turned against her. Ethel did her best to put on a brave face as she sat down in front of the courtroom. This was her moment to make things right, her only opportunity to prove her innocence. On the stand, Ethel explained that both she and her son Robert had been very ill during the time she was alleged to have been spying. She contradicted specific details from David's testimony, including his claim that she and Julius had a secret compartment in their table specifically for taking photos on microfilm. For a moment it seemed like Ethel would be all right. But then came Roy Cohn's cross examination. Under questioning, Ethel repeatedly invoked her Fifth Amendment rights. In response, Cohn only pushed Harder asking why she wouldn't want to self incriminate.
- [25:30]
Carter Roy
Ethel struggled to respond. She stumbled over her words, nervously searching for the right thing to say. Her attorney tried to step in and call for a mistrial, but Judge Kaufman refused the request. Ethel's inability to answer Cohen's questions made her look guilty, and the jury took notice. 23 days after the trial began on March 29, 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of espionage along with Martin Sobel. While their co defendant was given a prison sentence of 30 years, Judge Kaufman sentenced Julius and Ethel to death.
- [26:15]
Vanessa Richardson
Judge Kaufman cited Section 2 of the Espionage act, which said that anyone convicted of sending information relating to the national defense to a foreign government may be imprisoned for life or put to death. Kaufman said that he had prayed to God about his decision and ultimately decided on execution. But in his autobiography, Roy Cohn disputed Kaufman's explanation. He said, quote, the closest Kaufman got to prayer was the phone booth next to the Park Avenue synagogue. He called from that booth to ask my advice on whether he ought to give the death penalty to Ethel Rosenberg, end quote. Cohn encouraged him to do so. In his mind, she was worse than her husband, the secret mastermind behind the whole spy ring. When he sentenced the Rosenbergs, Kaufman labeled them as mass murderers. He blamed them for giving the Russians the atomic bomb, which he said caused the Korean War. In his eyes, the Rosenbergs were responsible for everyone who had died there. More than 50,000 people. It was a wild leap in logic. And even though the FBI and the DOJ had both opposed the death penalty, they didn't intervene. Julius and Ethel did have a few options to appeal their death sentences, but they knew it was going to be an uphill battle.
- [27:42]
Carter Roy
After Julius and Ethel were convicted, they were transported to to Sing Sing Prison in upstate New York. Sing Sing was notorious for its cruel practices and hard labor, but there were a few bright spots. Although Julius and Ethel were almost always separated, they were able to hear each other through the walls every Friday night, singing prayers on the Sabbath. And most importantly, they were finally allowed to see their children, albeit during short supervised visits. The kids hadn't had much stability since their parents were arrested. Many of their family members had either sided with David and Ruth Greenglass or were too afraid to take custody of the kids. Those relatives were worried about somehow implicating themselves. It was a lot for Julius and Ethel to navigate, but they tried to keep things light. When Michael and Robert were around. They would sing and play games together, including, ironically, hangman. In the meantime, their attorney, Manny Block, was looking for ways to appeal their sentences. But everywhere he turned, the government jammed up the process. Not only were other judges unwilling to overturn Coffman's ruling, but there weren't many ways to counter the use of the Espionage Act. There was only one place the Rosenbergs could hope to beat the government in the court of public opinion.
- [29:13]
Vanessa Richardson
When Julius and Ethel were convicted, the media largely reported the news without comment. They even quoted Judge Kaufman when he said the Rosenbergs were responsible for the Korean War. Beyond that, the papers didn't offer an opinion on whether justice was truly served. But things began to change a few months later when a left wing New York City newspaper, the National Guardian, began campaigning for the Rosenbergs release. They said the government had insufficient evidence and that the couple was innocent. The Guardian's efforts started to pick up momentum around the world. Before long, several high profile figures, including Albert Einstein, Frida Kahlo and Pablo Picasso were speaking out in support of the Rosenbergs. Their efforts led to massive protests around the world, including in the US it still wasn't enough to turn the tide.
- [30:11]
Carter Roy
By early 1953, two years after their conviction, Dwight Eisenhower had become president and had the opportunity to give clemency to the Rosenbergs. Even Pope Pius XII asked him to spare Julius and Ethel's lives. But Eisenhower stood firm. In the last few years, anti communist sentiment had only gotten stronger and the Red scare was in full swing. Eisenhower felt like he had to keep cracking the whip. For the Rosenbergs, clemency had been their last chance. Now it was clear that Erwin was Kaufman and Roy Cohn were going to come out on top. The Rosenbergs days were numbered and time was running out.
- [31:05]
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- [31:37]
Vanessa Richardson
On May 31, 1953, Judge Erving Kaufman set the date for the Rosenbergs execution. It would be in three weeks. On the couple's 14th anniversary. 35 year old Julius and 37 year old Ethel were running out of time. But Julius was hoping for a miracle. Julius's faith was rewarded a few days later when the Rosenbergs lawyer Manny Block said the government had a plan to save them from death.
- [32:08]
Carter Roy
Julius met with a team of US Attorneys to learn more. They said they would remove the death penalty on one condition. He and Ethel had to publicly admit their guilt and name the other communists in their network. And this was the same tactic used by Senator Joseph McCarthy in his house UN American Activities Committee hearings, forcing former and alleged communists to choose between naming names or being blacklisted. After securing the Rosenbergs conviction, Roy Cohn had been promoted to McCarthy's chief counsel and he pushed for these same techniques to be used against Julius and Ethel. The couple refused to give in. Even with their lives on the line, they wouldn't implicate anyone else and they didn't want to admit to something they claimed they hadn't done. They rejected the government's deal and released a public statement. They said, by asking us to repudiate the truth of our innocence, the government admits its own doubts concerning our guilt. We will not be coerced, even under pain of death, to bear false witness. Now there was nothing left to do but wait and pray.
- [33:35]
Vanessa Richardson
As the date of the execution drew closer, Mannie Block tried to intervene one last time through another lawyer. The case made it up to Supreme Court Justice William Douglas. Douglas granted a stay of execution. Douglas wasn't the only Supreme Court justice who disagreed with Kaufman's ruling. Felix Frankfurter, the only Jewish justice on the court, wrote privately, quote, I despise a judge who feels God told him to impose a death sentence. End quote. Unfortunately, Douglas and Frankfurter's votes weren't enough to overturn Kaufman's decision. The stay of execution only lasted one day. It was rescheduled for the next day. Friday, June 19, 1953, at 11pm this presented a new problem. The amended time came during the Sabbath, the Jewish day of rest. Manny Block felt that this violated his client's religious rights and asked for the execution to be delayed. Once again. Judge Kaufman was more than happy. To accommodate the change. He moved up the execution three hours to 8pm before sundown, when the Sabbath began.
- [34:48]
Carter Roy
The day before the execution, the Rosenberg sons, Michael, now 10 years old, and Robert, now 6, were brought to Sing Sing to say goodbye to their parents. The boys couldn't stop crying. Michael in particular kept yelling, one more day to live. Julius and Ethel hugged and kissed their boys, but tried to remain as stoic as they could. And they had resolved to show no emotion throughout the process as an act of resistance against the government. After less than an hour together, the boys were taken away and Julius and Ethel were led back to their cells.
- [35:30]
Vanessa Richardson
Julius and Ethel were forced to spend their last night in separate cells, writing letters and arranging their affairs. Julius put together their last will and testament in a letter to Manny Block. Julius ended his letter with a request from Ethel. She wanted the public to know that she and her husband were the first victims of American fascism. Then Julius wrote one last letter to his sons. He wrote, quote, eventually to you must come to believe that life is worth the living, and freedom must sometimes be purchased very dearly. End quote. At around 1pm on June 19, the Rosenbergs ate their last meal. They declined a special lunch and received the standard serving of fish with tomato sauce, mashed potatoes, string beans, salad, jello and coffee. The couple was allowed one brief meeting before the execution. They held each other close and kissed goodbye. Julius was led away silently to the electric chair where a handful of prison officials and doctors waited with the executioner, Julius.
- [36:42]
Carter Roy
Execution was violent but quick. He died after the first electric shock. Ethel's experience was far worse. After three shocks, doctors determined she was still alive. The executioners pulled the lever twice more before she was dead. Smoke curled off the top of her head as they unstrapped her from the chair. The Rosenbergs died alone, the only American citizens ever executed for espionage. But millions of people around the world mourned for them afterward.
- [37:19]
Vanessa Richardson
Julius and Ethel's funeral was held in Brooklyn two days after their death on June 21, 1953. The weather was blistering with temperatures hitting 95 degrees. That didn't stop the more than 10,000 people from crowding around the synagogue where the service was held. But this outpouring of support wasn't reported on in most American newspapers. Ten days after their executions, Manny Block wrote an op ed in the National Guardian criticizing the mainstream media's coverage of the case. He said, quote, our great newspaper newspapers, which during the trial had seized eagerly upon every propaganda release of the prosecution, closed their pages to all news about the victims, end quote. Around the world, many people celebrated the Rosenbergs as martyrs. Left wing leaders called the trial a miscarriage of justice. But of course, the two people who mourned Julius and Ethel the most were their sons, Michael and Robert.
- [38:23]
Carter Roy
Their lives were turned upside down, even more than before. At one point, someone sent Michael an anonymous postcard. It said, of course you feel for the loss of your parents, but when you think of all the boys they killed in Korea, you should realize that they deserve to die. Why don't you change your names and become Christians? The boys did eventually change their names. After their parents were executed, they began living with A friend of their parents, Robert Meeropol and his wife anne. And in 1957, the Meeropols officially adopted Robert and Michael. But as the boys grew older, they never forgot about their parents. And they never stopped fighting for justice. Justice.
- [39:15]
Vanessa Richardson
In 1995, four years after the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States declassified the transcripts from the VENONA project, which had decoded encrypted Soviet messages. The transcripts made it clear that Julius had in fact been a spy for the Soviet Union. Something was missing, though there was no evidence to suggest that Ethel had anything to do with the the espionage. A few Years later, in 2001, on the 50th anniversary of the trial, David Greenglass, now 79 years old, shocked the world. He admitted that he had committed perjury. When he said Ethel typed up his atomic bomb notes. He said his wife Ruth was actually the one who'd done it. David explained how Roy Cohn and the rest of the prosecution had threatened to to bring massive espionage charges against Ruth unless he changed his story.
- [40:12]
Carter Roy
Just like that, the government's main piece of evidence against Ethel Rosenberg was disproven. And in the years since, other critical aspects of their argument fell apart too. Other declassified documents showed that Julius spy network didn't actually impact the Soviet nuclear program. But some of the people who got off easy did. Klaus Fuchs, who spent nine years in prison, probably had the greatest impact. Robert and Michael Meeropol, as they are now known, have been campaigning for decades for their mother to be pardoned. Multiple presidential administrations have declined to do so.
- [40:55]
Vanessa Richardson
The ripple effects of the Rosenberg trial can still be seen today, especially when it comes to one man, Roy Cohn. Cohn used the Rosenberg case as a springboard to become Joseph McCarthy's chief counsel during his reign over the House UN American Activities Committee. Under McCarthy, Cohn helped blacklist prominent Hollywood communists who'd committed no crime other than their political affiliation. After the McCarthy era fizzled out in 1954, con establishment established a private practice in New York, representing some of the most prominent business people in the city. His reputation for getting his clients out of trouble was second to none. All the while, he served as an advisor to Richard Nixon and then later to Ronald Reagan. During Reagan's campaign, Cohn bribed the Liberty Party of New York into splitting the Democratic vote, which paved the way for Reagan to win the state. In 1986, when he was 59 years old, Cohn was disbarred as a lawyer for committing fraud. Five weeks later, he died of aids. As a closeted gay man, Cohn lied about his illness, claiming he was suffering from liver cancer. Without the Rosenberg trial, Roy Cohn may not have had such a storied career. And for better or for worse, our country would have looked more very different without him.
- [42:22]
Carter Roy
The legacy of the Rosenbergs is complicated. Julius Rosenberg's parents fled Russia at the height of injustice against the Jewish people, but the life they found in New York wasn't much easier. And like many children of immigrants, Julius was forever changed by their struggle. But Julius did turn his back on America, and in doing so, he put innocent people at risk, namely his own family. Whether or not Julius deserved to die for his actions is up for debate. However, most people agree that Ethel was a victim. She was wrongfully convicted, and we have the evidence to prove it.
- [43:09]
Vanessa Richardson
Now, we'd love to get your thoughts. Do you think Ethel should have been spared, or was she guilty by association? Do you think Julius was justified in his choices? Should the government have done things differently? Tell us what you think in the comments. Wherever you land, one thing is clear. In trying to make an example of Ethel and Julius, the US Government left two young boys as orphans. They could have grown up with their mother, if not both their parents. And that's the real tragedy. Thanks so much for listening. I'm Vanessa Richardson and this is Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes. Come back next time. Next time we'll decode the episode together and hear another story about the real people at the center of the world's most notorious cults, conspiracies and criminal acts. And special thanks to our guest host, Carter Roy. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Here at Crime House, we want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard today, reach out on social media media at Crime House on TikTok and Instagram. Don't forget to rate, review and follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly makes a difference and to enhance your Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes listening experience, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get every episode ad free. We'll be back on Monday. Conspiracy Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is hosted by me, Vanessa Richardson and my guest host, Carter Roy and is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. This episode was brought to life by the Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes team. Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Natalie Pertzovsky, Lori Marinelli, Sarah Camp, Jake Natureman, Leah Roche and Michael Langsner. Thank you for listening. Thanks for listening to today's episode. Not sure what to listen to next? Check out America's Most Infamous Crimes, hosted by Katie Ring. From serial killers to unsolved mysteries and game changing investigations, each week Katie takes on a notorious criminal case in American history. Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous Crimes now. Wherever you listen to podcasts.