Executing the Rosenbergs, Lori Clune
Executing the Rosenbergs, Lori Clune
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Executing the Rosenbergs
Death and Diplomacy in a Cold War World

Author: Lori Clune

Narrator: Kathleen Mary Carthy

Unabridged: 8 hr 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Wetware Media

Published: 08/04/2016


Synopsis

In 1950, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were arrested for allegedly passing information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union, an affair FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover labeled the "crime of the century". Their case became an international sensation, inspiring petitions, letters of support, newspaper editorials, and protests in countries around the world. Nevertheless, the Rosenbergs were executed after years of appeals, making them the only civilians ever put to death for conspiracy-related activities. Yet even after their executions, protests continued. The Rosenberg case quickly transformed into legend, while the media spotlight shifted to their two orphaned sons. In Executing the Rosenbergs, Lori Clune demonstrates that the Rosenberg case played a pivotal role in the world's perception of the United States. Based on newly discovered documents from the State Department, Clune narrates the widespread dissent against the Rosenberg decision in 80 cities and 48 countries. Even as the Truman and Eisenhower administrations attempted to turn the case into pro-democracy propaganda, US allies and potential allies questioned whether the United States had the moral authority to win the Cold War. Meanwhile, the death of Stalin in 1953 also raised the stakes of the executions; without a clear hero and villain, the struggle between democracy and communism shifted into morally ambiguous terrain. Transcending questions of guilt or innocence, Clune weaves the case - and its aftermath - into the fabric of the Cold War, revealing its far-reaching global effects. An original approach to one of the most fascinating episodes in Cold War history, Executing the Rosenbergs broadens a quintessentially American story into a global one.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Kimba on April 30, 2018

In 1950 Ethel and Alfred Rosenberg were found guilty of passing atomic secrets to the Soviets and sentenced to death. Three years later they were executed, having been denied clemency by both Presidents Truman and Eisenhower, who believed that they had to make a firm stance against international com......more

Goodreads review by Zippergirl on March 13, 2016

"How to Spot a Communist," LOOK Magazine, March 4, 1947. "To the Communist, everything—his country, his job, his family—take second place to his Party duty. Even his sex life is synchronized with the obligations of The Cause." A Red under every bed, indeed. Clune's research for a book on high-profile......more

Goodreads review by Andrei on March 29, 2024

Very well written......more

Goodreads review by Amanda on January 08, 2025

This is an examination of the foreign response to the trial and execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenburg -- an internationally famous case which saw two American citizens executed for conspiracy during the height of the Red Scare. Clune’s interest was sparked when, during research, it was discovered......more

Goodreads review by Stuart on October 21, 2021

The Rosenbergs, parents of young boys, were executed in 1953 after being accused of passing on atomic bomb secrets to the Soviet Union. This book discusses the world wide protests and the attempts to gain clemency for them up until their execution at the order of Dwight D. Eisenhower. I didn't reali......more