SPIES IN OUR MIDST ESPIONAGE

SUSPICION The Soviet Union successfully tested an atomic bomb in the summer of 1949. Almost 4 years after the bombings in Japan. American spies discovered the test. Suspicion grew. How could they come up with identical tests so quickly? Remember – Stalin was left out of the top secret Manhattan Project.

CAUGHT! Manhattan Project Scientists included German defectors. Many people were also suspected of spying. Klaus Fuchs, a brilliant scientist, was convicted of giving Manhattan Project Secrets to the Soviet Union.

CAUGHT Investigation of Fuchs led to catching his accomplices: David Greenglass Theodore Hall “Perseus” Ethel and Julius Rosenberg Everyone except the Rosenbergs worked at Los Alamos, NM. Ethel Rosenberg was Greenglass’ sister.

Harry Gold served 14 years in prison Fuchs spent nine years in prison for Espionage and moved to East Germany. He informed on Harry Gold, his “courier”. Harry Gold served 14 years in prison He informed on David Greenglass David Greenglass served 10 years in prison He informed on his sister and brother-in-law, the Rosenbergs The Rosenbergs were executed in 1953 after being convicted of espionage. They never admitted to being spies, and they did not inform on anyone.

HUAC The House Committee of Un-American Activities (HUAC) Created in the 30’s in suspicion of fascist spies Shifted to communist spies in the 1940’s. HUAC investigated anyone suspected of spying or being a communist. “Informing”, or naming other communists, was critical in making a deal. If you named people, you weren’t punished.

BLACKLISTED HUAC also subpoenaed people in Hollywood to a hearing before Congress. The “Hollywood Ten” refused to testify, citing first amendment rights. They were sentenced to six months or a year in prison for contempt of Congress Some pleaded fifth amendment rights They were “Blacklisted” or refused work in Hollywood. Others informed on fellow artists and were lauded as being patriotic Americans.

OPENING A CAN OF WORMS Whittaker Chambers was a well known communist that was called before HUAC in the 1940’s. He admitted to communist ties. Informed on Alger Hiss, a prominent State Department employee. No one believed the case at first, except Congressman Richard Nixon, from California.

Hiss denied being a communist. Chambers produced documents that eventually sent Hiss to prison. “The Pumpkin Papers” He went to prison for perjury – lying under oath. Richard Nixon investigated these papers. His investigation eventually led to Hiss’s perjury conviction. Nixon was also up for re-election. Jumping on the communist paranoia bandwagon put him in the spotlight and helped his career.

MCCARTHYISM In light of the Hiss case, spies infiltrating government positions also became a “real” fear. An unremarkable senator from Wisconsin was also distressed about the Alger Hiss case. Joseph McCarthy claimed that he knew of 81 State Department workers that were communists. An otherwise non-entity in Congress, his accusations of spies in the government shot him to fame. In need of another election, he continued on his “witch hunt” for communist affiliated government workers and spies. Most of the people he accused were simply a part of McCarthy’s fabrications to maintain his position in the Senate.

His Wheeling speech created a sensation and “McCarthyism” was born. He used the media attention to claim more and more people were suspicious. People were called to hearings to express or deny their loyalty. McCarthy’s suspicions lay mostly with American Government officials and military personnel. Eventually, the McCarthy speeches wore down and got old. McCarthy was censured, and McCarthyism became a joke.

VENN DIAGRAM TIME! Last week, we witnessed life under a communist rule during the Cold War. Today, we’ve seen what life was like at home during the Cold War. What are some of the similarities? What are some of the differences?