What couple was executed for treason?
Asked by: Vergie Huel | Last update: January 28, 2026Score: 5/5 (1 votes)
The most famous couple executed for treason (actually, espionage conspiracy) in the U.S. were Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, American communists executed in 1953 for passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union during the Cold War, a case that remains controversial, with many believing Ethel was innocent, though both were convicted and electrocuted.
Were the Rosenbergs actually guilty of treason?
Evidence suggests that Ethel was held mainly in an effort to force her husband to reveal further names and information. On March 29, 1951, following a high-profile trial, the Rosenbergs were convicted of treason, in the form of passing atomic secrets to Russia.
Who was the last person to be executed for treason?
In response, Union Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler, the commander of the Union ground forces, had Mumford court-martialed and executed for treason. He was the last person executed for treason against the United States.
Were the Rosenbergs executed together?
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed in the electric chair at Sing Sing Prison tonight. Neither husband nor wife spoke before they died. Julius Rosenberg, aged 35, was the first to die. They were executed just before the setting sun heralded the Jewish Sabbath.
What evidence was found against the Rosenbergs?
Evidence against the Rosenbergs centered on the testimony of David and Ruth Greenglass, who claimed Julius recruited David to pass atomic secrets (like bomb sketches) to the Soviets via courier Harry Gold, with Ethel typing notes; though later recanted under pressure, this testimony, along with Morton Sobell's admission of non-atomic espionage and circumstantial links to Communist activities, secured their conviction for conspiracy, despite later declassified documents revealing weak direct evidence against Ethel, making her conviction highly controversial.
Executed for Espionage: The Rosenbergs - Forgotten History
Where did the Rosenbergs actually spy?
Yes, Julius Rosenberg was definitively a Soviet spy who passed military and technical secrets, including to the atomic bomb project, but Ethel Rosenberg's role is more debated; she likely knew of his activities but may not have actively spied, though her conviction for conspiring with him was upheld, leading to their execution in 1953. While Julius provided crucial information, especially concerning military electronics, many historians doubt he was solely responsible for the atomic bomb's secrets, which were also shared by physicist Klaus Fuchs, but the harsh sentence reflected Cold War fears.
What happened to Julius and Ethel Rosenberg's children?
After their parents, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, were executed for espionage in 1953, their sons, Michael (then 10) and Robert (then 6), were orphaned, adopted by writer Abel and Anne Meeropol, and grew up taking their surname, eventually becoming activists and academics who have spent decades working to clear their mother's name, believing Julius was involved but Ethel was unjustly convicted. Both pursued careers, with Michael becoming an economist and professor, and Robert a lawyer and founder of the Rosenberg Fund for Children, supporting children of activists.
What exactly did the Rosenbergs do?
Members of the communist party, the Rosenbergs were convicted of passing secret information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union in 1945. Their case remains a cause celebre today, with claims it was the result of Cold War hysteria.
Do the accusations of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg seem fair?
The facts concerning Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. It makes the accusations against Julius seem rather fair when knowing that there were decryptions of Soviet communications that show that Julius had espionage ties for the Soviets, as well as testimonies against him.
Has any American been executed for treason?
At least 14 people have been charged with treason against various states; at least six were convicted, five of whom were executed. Only two prosecutions for treason against a state were ever carried out in the U.S.: one against Thomas Dorr and the other after John Brown's conspiracy.
Who was the first American executed for treason?
Brown was the first person executed for treason in the history of the United States. He was hanged on December 2, 1859, at about 11:15 AM, in a vacant field several blocks away from the Jefferson County jail.
Can you still be put to death for treason?
Yes, treason is punishable by death in the United States, as specified in 18 U.S.C. § 2381, which states offenders "shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000". While treason is a capital offense, meaning the death penalty is a potential sentence, it's extremely rare in practice, with the federal death sentence for treason only carried out twice historically.
When was the last time the U.S. executed someone?
The last federal execution in the U.S. was Dustin Higgs on January 16, 2021, under the Trump administration; however, state executions continue, with recent activity in states like Texas and Missouri, so the absolute last U.S. execution overall depends on the specific state's date, with recent ones occurring in late 2024/early 2025 in Missouri (Michael Tisius - June 2023), Texas (Jemelle Hollis, Richard Stark - late 2024), and potentially Ohio (pending new methods in 2025/2026), though federal executions remain on hold.
Who betrayed the Rosenbergs?
On Tuesday, the New York Times discovered that David Greenglass had died in a nursing home. He was 92. Greenglass became infamous in the 1950's after he provided testimony that sentenced his sister, Ethel Greenglass Rosenberg, and her husband, Julius, to death on charges of passing nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union.
What films depict the Rosenberg story?
Heir to an Execution: A Granddaughter's Story. A filmmaker explores the lives and deaths of her grandparents, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed as spies in 1953.
Did the Rosenbergs execute Roy Cohn?
Cohn was born in the Bronx in New York City and educated at Columbia University. He rose to prominence as a U.S. Department of Justice prosecutor at the espionage trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, where he successfully prosecuted the Rosenbergs, which led to their conviction and execution in 1953.
What evidence did they have against the Rosenbergs?
The Rosenbergs were charged with espionage. The major evidence was supplied by a few people who had already confessed to being spies, and were either in prison or under indictment. David Greenglass, the brother of Ethel Rosenberg, was the key witness.
Why were the Rosenbergs electrocuted?
The Rosenbergs were the only American civilians executed for espionage during the Cold War.
Who gave nuclear secrets to the Soviets?
Klaus Fuchs (1911-1988) was a German theoretical physicist and spy who worked at Los Alamos during the Manhattan Project and passed atomic secrets to the Soviet Union.
Did the Rosenbergs deserve to be executed?
Today, a preponderance of scholars who have studied the notorious case believe that the Rosenbergs were far from innocent, but their trial and execution were a miscarriage of justice. There is consensus that Julius Rosenberg was a Soviet spy and that Ethel probably knew of his activities and supported them.
How did Fuchs get caught?
Klaus Fuchs was caught due to the Venona intercepts, which provided British intelligence (MI5) with decrypted Soviet messages linking him to espionage, though he initially denied it during interrogations by spycatcher Jim Skardon. A strategic, less confrontational questioning approach, combined with mounting evidence and pressure, eventually led to his confession in January 1950, resulting in his arrest, conviction for espionage, and a 14-year sentence, notes the National Park Service and Spyscape.
What was Roy Cohn's cause of death?
Roy Cohn died from complications related to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) in 1986 at the age of 59, though he publicly denied having AIDS, claiming liver cancer and refusing to acknowledge his homosexuality until his death, according to Wikipedia and The New York Times. His death certificate listed cardio-pulmonary arrest as the immediate cause, with dementia and HTLV-3 infection (the virus causing AIDS) as underlying factors, as reported by The New York Times and Wikipedia.
Where did the Rosenbergs get caught?
A complaint charging Julius Rosenberg with espionage conspiracy was filed on July 17, 1950. Rosenberg was arrested at his home in Knickerbocker Village, New York City, the same day and was arraigned that evening before a U.S. District judge, Southern District of New York.
Why did the Rosenbergs spy?
By most accounts, Julius Rosenberg was an enthusiastic Communist. His job at the Army Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories made him an enticing recruit for Soviet spies, who approached him on Labor Day, 1942.
Which is most closely related to the Rosenbergs?
Explanation. The Rosenbergs, specifically Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, are most closely tied with the events surrounding the prosecution and execution of Americans suspected of espionage during the Cold War era.