Ethel Rosenberg (184)

Cold War Conversations - "vivid & compelling" The NY Times

Ian Sanders

History, Documentary, Society & Culture

4.8 • 865 Ratings

🗓️ 25 June 2021

⏱️ 61 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Ethel Rosenberg is a controversial figure and generates polarising views varying from an innocent mother caught up in Cold War hysteria to a willing and ruthless accomplice to her husband’s Cold War espionage betraying secrets to the Soviets. Anne Sebba’s new book “Ethel Rosenberg – A Cold War tragedy” (“An American tragedy” in the US) provides a more nuanced view of Ethel that is not just about innocence and guilt but of a talented singer and mother of two children, betrayed by her family and the American judicial system. Aged 37, in 1953 she becomes the first woman in American history to be executed for a crime other than murder. Whatever your views about Ethel Rosenberg this episode will detail more of who Ethel was and how the American judicial system was manipulated to ensure her conviction. Anne’s book is available on these links. UK listeners https://amzn.to/3wGZD1z US listeners https://amzn.to/2TObJra If you’ve listened this far, I know you are enjoying the podcasts so I’m asking for a small monthly donation to support my work and allow me to continue producing the podcast. As a monthly supporter, you will get the sought after CWC coaster as a thank you and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a financial contribution is not your cup of tea, you can still help us by leaving written reviews wherever you listen to us and sharing us on social media. It really helps us get new guests on the show. I am delighted to welcome Anne Sebba to our Cold War conversations... There's more information as well as a book giveaway in the episode notes here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode184/ If you can’t wait for next week’s episode, visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations on Facebook. 0:00 Introduction to Ethel Rosenberg's story 1:32 Request for financial support for the podcast 5:10 Ethel Rosenberg's early life and family 12:26 The political climate in 1936 and Ethel's meeting with Julius Rosenberg 16:14 The changing perceptions of the Soviet Union and Ethel and Julius's loyalty 27:31 Book giveaway announcement 33:30 Ethel's knowledge of Julius's espionage activities and the arrest 41:25 Legal proceedings and Ethel's decision to take the 5th Amendment 47:21 Discussion on the Vannona decrypts and Ethel's role 54:08 Importance and relevance of Ethel's story today Table of contents powered by PodcastAI✨ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Cold War Conversations, the home of real stories of the Cold War.
0:05.8	Here was a woman who was electrocuted without any real evidence beyond perjury against her.
0:15.1	Because of the hysteria of the time, the atmosphere of the Cold War, And as a historian, I think you can learn an awful
0:24.3	lot by looking at an individual. This is Cold War Conversations. Ethel Rosenberg is a controversial figure and generates polarising views varying from an innocent
0:42.4	mother caught up in Cold War hysteria to a willing and ruthless accomplice to our husband's
0:48.4	Cold War espionage betraying secrets to the Soviets.
0:53.2	Anne Seber's new book, Ethel Rosenberg, A Cold War Tragedy,
0:58.0	also subtitled an American tragedy in the United States,
1:02.0	provides a more nuanced view of Ethel that is not just about innocence and guilt,
1:08.0	but of a talented singer, a mother of two children, betrayed by her family and the
1:13.2	American judicial system.
1:15.8	Age 37 in 1953, she became the first woman in American history to be executed for a crime
1:23.6	other than murder.
1:25.7	Whatever your views are about Ethel Rosenberg, this episode will detail more of who Ethel was
1:31.2	and how the American judicial system was manipulated to ensure her conviction.
1:37.6	If you've listened this far, I know you are enjoying the podcast, so I'm asking for a small
1:43.8	monthly donation to support my work and allow me to
1:47.4	continue producing the podcast. As a monthly supporter you will get the sought after Cold War
1:54.1	Conversations drinks coaster as a thank you and bask in the warm glow of knowing that you are helping to preserve Cold War history.
2:03.0	Still not sure?
2:04.5	Here's one of our listeners explaining why they financially support the Cold War Conversations podcast.
2:10.6	Hi, I'm Sue Norton and I live in Dublin, Ireland.
	...

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