Mayra J.

Diaz

Contemporary American History

Mr. Munoz

02 November 2017

Prompt: Did the Rosenbergs receive a fair trial? Why or why not?

After the Cold War, Americans were paranoid of communists spies within America.

During the 1950s, there was a spy case that rocked the nation. This case involved a marry

coupled named, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. They were being prosecuted because their

brother-in-law claimed they were spies. At the moment this was all the evidence the courts had,

so this couple did not end up receiving a fair trial. In the article titled, “The Cold War at Home,”

it states, “They claimed they were being persecuted both for being Jewish and for holding radical

beliefs. The Rosenbergs were found guilty of espionage and sentenced to death” (Chapter 18,

619). The courts had no real stable evidence to persecute the Rosenbergs; however, Americans

were in paranoia and so they didn’t wanted to risk any spies being in America.

The Rosenbergs fought for their innocence for a long time. The media also played a huge

factor into this. In a video titled, “Rosenberg Case,” it states, “Many years later evidence surface

that proved the Rosenbergs did share classified information.” This quote directly proved that

during this trial there was no evidence shown. The only evidence the courts had was through

word of mouth from the brother-in-law. Americans were paranoid and so a couple was
prosecuted, they did not want to risk anything. The Rosenbergs were found guilty many years

later, but when they were alive their trial was not fair.