Henry
2013-03-20 04:04:53 UTC
With the opening of the former Soviet archives in the Gorbachev and
post-Soviet era, do we have any new information about the Soviet atomic
program during WW II?
The trial and execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg was often
criticized by the Left. They argued that neither Rosenberg was actually
proven to have committed espionage and claimed that Ethel's
brother-in-law had simply invented their involvement in any spy ring. I
know that the Venona Transcripts are widely believed to have confirmed
that the Rosenbergs - or at least Julius - was active in the spy ring
but even that is disputed by some.
It seems to me that the definitive way to settle this one way or the
other is to know what was kept hidden in the Soviet archives for so long
on this matter. I know that a great deal has come to light about other
aspects of Soviet society going back to the earliest days of Lenin's
regime. Has anything been found to confirm or disprove the activies of
the Rosenbergs?
Also, some of those uneasy about the Rosenberg's trial and execution
make the claim that the Soviets would have had the atomic bomb within 5
years of America and Britain getting it even if there had been no
espionage. Do we now have any evidence about whether the materials
stolen by Klaus Fuchs, David Greenglass and others actually helped the
Soviet effort and helped them get the bomb any earlier than if the
espionage hadn't happened.
post-Soviet era, do we have any new information about the Soviet atomic
program during WW II?
The trial and execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg was often
criticized by the Left. They argued that neither Rosenberg was actually
proven to have committed espionage and claimed that Ethel's
brother-in-law had simply invented their involvement in any spy ring. I
know that the Venona Transcripts are widely believed to have confirmed
that the Rosenbergs - or at least Julius - was active in the spy ring
but even that is disputed by some.
It seems to me that the definitive way to settle this one way or the
other is to know what was kept hidden in the Soviet archives for so long
on this matter. I know that a great deal has come to light about other
aspects of Soviet society going back to the earliest days of Lenin's
regime. Has anything been found to confirm or disprove the activies of
the Rosenbergs?
Also, some of those uneasy about the Rosenberg's trial and execution
make the claim that the Soviets would have had the atomic bomb within 5
years of America and Britain getting it even if there had been no
espionage. Do we now have any evidence about whether the materials
stolen by Klaus Fuchs, David Greenglass and others actually helped the
Soviet effort and helped them get the bomb any earlier than if the
espionage hadn't happened.
--
Henry
Henry