From: Jon Lasser <jlasser@rwd.goucher.edu>
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 95 09:47:51 PDT
To: "Timothy C. May" <tcmay@sensemedia.net>
Subject: Re: Ivy Bells, Smersh, and the Rosenbergs
In-Reply-To: <ac424ae9050210049fd9@[205.199.118.202]>
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.950731123935.6771A-100000@rwd.goucher.edu>
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On Mon, 31 Jul 1995, Timothy C. May wrote:

> On the other issue, whether either or both of the Rosenbergs were spies,
> things have settled yet. Sudoplatov, in "Special Tasks," claims they were
> both spies. Others doubt it.
> 
> (For you Bond fans, Sudoplatov headed up "Smersh." Russian for "Death to
> spies." Yes, it really existed, unlike, say "U.N.C.L.E.")
> 
> On the issue of whether in the 1950s the U.S. government knew the
> Rosenbergs were spies, we have even less information. A trial was held and
> guilty verdict returned, but reasonable folks may disagree. My guess? Yes,
> they were probably spies.

Hmm... the stuff that was from the "one-time pads" that were recently 
decrypted says it was fairly certain they were.  So says Kahn. :)

I'm not convinced that there was enough public information available for 
a reasonable conviction back in the 50's, but there seems to be now.

> The Rosenbergs were certainly the Mumia Abu Jamals of their day.

The Mumia case (something friends of mine are more than peripherally 
acquainted with) seems to be very much in doubt.  Of course, they'll kill 
him anyway, probably.  But I suggest reading E.L. Doctrow's essay on the 
subject from the NYT of several weeks (months? possibly) back.

Jon
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jon Lasser                <jlasser@rwd.goucher.edu>            (410) 494-3253 
          Visit my home page at http://www.goucher.edu/~jlasser/
  You have a friend at the NSA: Big Brother is watching. Finger for PGP key.