Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

(On This Day In History) June 19, 1953 - Atomic Bomb Spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Executed
History.com ^ | June 19, 2007 | History.com

Posted on 06/19/2007 11:09:54 AM PDT by DogByte6RER

June 19, 1953 : Julius and Ethel Rosenberg executed

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, a married couple convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage in 1951, are put to death in the electric chair. The execution marked the dramatic finale of the most controversial espionage case of the Cold War.

Julius was arrested in July 1950, and Ethel in August of that same year, on the charge of conspiracy to commit espionage. Specifically, they were accused of heading a spy ring that passed top-secret information concerning the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. The Rosenbergs vigorously protested their innocence, but after a brief trial in March 1951 they were convicted. On April 5, 1951, a judge sentenced them to death. The pair was taken to Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York, to await execution.

During the next two years, the couple became the subject of both national and international debate. Many people believed that the Rosenbergs were the victims of a surge of hysterical anticommunist feeling in the United States, and protested that the death sentence handed down was cruel and unusual punishment. Most Americans, however, believed that the Rosenbergs had been dealt with justly.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke for many Americans when he issued a statement declining to invoke executive clemency for the pair. He stated, "I can only say that, by immeasurably increasing the chances of atomic war, the Rosenbergs may have condemned to death tens of millions of innocent people all over the world. The execution of two human beings is a grave matter. But even graver is the thought of the millions of dead whose deaths may be directly attributable to what these spies have done."

Julius Rosenberg was the first to be executed, at about 8 p.m. on June 19, 1953. Just a few minutes after his body was removed from the chamber containing the electric chair, Ethel Rosenberg was led in and strapped to the chair. She was pronounced dead at 8:16 p.m. Both refused to admit any wrongdoing and proclaimed their innocence right up to the time of their deaths. Two sons, Michael and Robert, survived them.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: anniversary; atombomb; atomicbomb; betterdeadthanred; coldwar; commiepigs; commies; communism; communismkills; crime; electricchair; espionage; execution; reddiaperdoperbabies; rosenbergs; singsing; stalinsminions; traitors; treason
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-57 next last
As communists, the Rosenbergs undoubtedly believed that hell didn't exist.

I ma sure that they have since learned otherwise, much to their eternal chagrin...

1 posted on 06/19/2007 11:10:04 AM PDT by DogByte6RER
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket Ethel and Julius Rosenberg after their conviction
2 posted on 06/19/2007 11:10:52 AM PDT by DogByte6RER ("Loose lips sink ships")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket Mugshot of Ethel Rosenberg.
3 posted on 06/19/2007 11:11:42 AM PDT by DogByte6RER ("Loose lips sink ships")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket Police photograph of Julius Rosenberg after his arrest.
4 posted on 06/19/2007 11:12:27 AM PDT by DogByte6RER ("Loose lips sink ships")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: DogByte6RER

It still pops my cork that people claimed the Rosenbergs were innocent, knowing that they weren’t.


5 posted on 06/19/2007 11:12:43 AM PDT by Greg F (<><)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DogByte6RER

none of your photos are appearing


6 posted on 06/19/2007 11:13:02 AM PDT by Retired Greyhound
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

More background about the Rosenbergs at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_and_Ethel_Rosenberg


7 posted on 06/19/2007 11:14:23 AM PDT by DogByte6RER ("Loose lips sink ships")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Retired Greyhound

?

The pics are showing up at my end.

They are the same photos that you can find at the link at Post #7.


8 posted on 06/19/2007 11:15:40 AM PDT by DogByte6RER ("Loose lips sink ships")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Retired Greyhound
none of your photos are appearing

Strange..works for me.

9 posted on 06/19/2007 11:15:44 AM PDT by bkepley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: DogByte6RER

Meanwhile, Bill Clinton and Sandy Berger walk the streets.


10 posted on 06/19/2007 11:16:51 AM PDT by TommyDale (Rudy Giuliani’s candidacy is fading faster than an abortionist’s conscience.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DogByte6RER

Mr Rosenberg looks like Himmler in that police photo.


11 posted on 06/19/2007 11:20:55 AM PDT by Bringbackthedraft (This Tag line has been temporarily suspended by order of Col. Chavez.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: DogByte6RER

I say dig the communist scumbags up and zap ‘em again just on general principle.

Few people fully understand the impact of what the Rosenbergs did by helping the Soviet Union obtain America’s nuclear secrets, how many millions of people died from 1949 (the year of the first Soviet A-bomb) until Communism finally collapsed in ‘91?

The answer? Millions that didn’t HAVE to die if the Soviet Union had not been able to wield the global power and influence that becoming nuclear-capable provided to them. Yes, there is a good probability that the Soviets would have gone nuclear eventually, but the Rosenberg traitors made it happen that much sooner.


12 posted on 06/19/2007 11:21:06 AM PDT by mkjessup (Jan 20, 2009 - "We Don't Know. Where Rudy Went. Just Glad He's Not. The President. Burma Shave.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TommyDale
Meanwhile, Bill Clinton and Sandy Berger walk the streets.

Add Bill Richardson to that list.

 

Image courtesy of Registered Media

 

Los Alamos Weapons Lab Drive-Thru

Image courtesy of Registered Media

 

Authentic Brand Disk Drives

Image courtesy of Registered Media

 

 

13 posted on 06/19/2007 11:21:16 AM PDT by Incorrigible (If I lead, follow me; If I pause, push me; If I retreat, kill me.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Retired Greyhound
none of your photos are appearing

We voted while you were away and you aren't going to be allowed to see pictures.

I, of course voted to allow you to see them.

14 posted on 06/19/2007 11:21:26 AM PDT by Graybeard58 (Remember and pray for SSgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: DogByte6RER
I don’t hear much about julius and ethel lately. Guess their fellow-travelers have died off or become environmentalists. It’s a damn shame a few hundred more commies weren’t executed for treason. Hiss, primarily.
15 posted on 06/19/2007 11:21:49 AM PDT by ozzymandus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DogByte6RER

wierd.

Anyway, I went to the link and saw the pics. They look guilty.

“mug” is the operative word for Ethel’s mug shot. Quite a mug.


16 posted on 06/19/2007 11:21:57 AM PDT by Retired Greyhound
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: DogByte6RER

a day of mourning for the clintonistas and the hyannis orcinus clan.


17 posted on 06/19/2007 11:24:10 AM PDT by JohnLongIsland
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ozzymandus
It’s a damn shame a few hundred more commies weren’t executed for treason. Hiss, primarily.

Read Ann Coulter's book, "Treason" for a pretty good list.

18 posted on 06/19/2007 11:24:50 AM PDT by Graybeard58 (Remember and pray for SSgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

Sing Sing electric chair - "Old Sparky" Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
19 posted on 06/19/2007 11:25:08 AM PDT by DogByte6RER ("Loose lips sink ships")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Graybeard58

Darn. How close was the vote?

And how did you know I was away?

Thanks, of course, for your support. It is good to know where you stand.


20 posted on 06/19/2007 11:26:46 AM PDT by Retired Greyhound
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-57 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson