Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were a married couple of Jewish descent and American civilians, who were executed in 1953 for espionage during the Cold War, an event which had a significant impact on the political climate of the time. The Rosenbergs were convicted of passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union, and their trial and eventual execution were highly publicised and controversial.

The case against the Rosenbergs was based on the testimony of two key witnesses: Ethel's brother, David Greenglass, and his wife, Ruth. Both had pleaded guilty to espionage and testified against the Rosenbergs in exchange for reduced sentences. The evidence against the Rosenbergs was largely circumstantial, there were also questions about the credibility of the witnesses and the fairness of the trial.

Despite the lack of concrete evidence, the Rosenbergs were found guilty and sentenced to death. They maintained their innocence until their execution, and their case became a cause célèbre for civil liberties and anti-death penalty activists. The execution of the Rosenbergs was widely criticised as a politically motivated move to demonstrate the U.S government's commitment in the fight against communism.

The execution of the Rosenbergs also had a chilling effect on the political climate in the United States. It reinforced the fear and paranoia of communist infiltration in American society, alongside the idea that anyone could be a potential spy. It also contributed to the widespread belief that the U.S government was willing to use the death penalty as a tool to silence political dissent. Regardless of their guilt or innocence, their execution serves as a reminder of the dangers of government overreach and the importance of protecting civil liberties during times of political tension.