Secrets, Lies, and Atomic Spies,.....Or... Joe McCarthy was more right than he ever knew

PBS Nova ^ | February 5, 2002 | Peter Tyson

[quietolong]

NOVA reveals startling new evidence that Soviet spies penetrated America's deepest secrets, including the Manhattan Project, in the 1940's. By cracking the code of Soviet diplomatic cables, the FBI was able to hunt down "atom spies" such as Klaus Fuchs and Julius Rosenberg. But the true "master spy," a physicist named Ted Hall, got away -- and his gripping story is presented for the first time by NOVA. Read Venona Intercepts By Peter Tyson

In 1995, the U.S. National Security Agency broke a half century of silence by releasing translations of Soviet cables decrypted back in the 1940s by the Venona Project. Venona was a top-secret U.S. effort to gather and decrypt messages sent in the 1940s by agents of what is now called the KGB and the GRU, the Soviet military intelligence agency. The cables revealed the identities of numerous Americans who were spies for the Soviet Union, including those chronicled in NOVA's "Secrets, Lies, and Atomic Spies."

The four Venona cables presented here provide striking evidence of the covert activities of several atomic-era spies, including Klaus Fuchs, Julius Rosenberg, and Theodore Alvin Hall. Through the cables and accompanying stories, peer through the keyhole into the secret lives of these and other agents, who gave away details of the atomic bomb and other highly sensitive technologies. Watch for code words such as "Enormous," which stood for the Manhattan Project, America's atomic-bomb program

Link to Nova web sight on this show

[quietolong]

This Was a good show.

One of the things that it showed was how many Communists spys there were in high government posts. AND that there were over 300 spys never identified

How many do we have in government NOW.

Joe McCarthy Didn’t know how right he was. Or as McCarthy said. "The government is full of Communists.

Info on Senator Joseph McCarthy

[Twodees]

The title says what many people have been saying for years; that McCarthy had no idea how right he really was. The USSR would not have developed nuclear weapons on its own. American communists are directly responsible for the Cold War, for just this reason. Of course, had FDR lived, all American nuclear technology would probably have been shared with the USSR at no charge.

[Twodees]

It's too bad that McCarthy didn't have access to this info. He most certainly would have revealed the names and lamp posts and trees in DC would have been decorated with strange fruit. That would not have been a bad thing at all.

[jamaksin]

Just as many Americans never heard of Ted Hall; many Americans are still not aware that in 1943, under the Lend-Lease program, tons of nuclear materials were shipped to the USSR.

[driftless]

This would make a fascinating movie. Do you think it will ever be made? Not bloody likely! But I'd love to be proven wrong.

[backhoe]

Tailgunner Joe--Patriot Whistleblower or Right-Wing Witch-hunter?

[SkyPilot]

Yes, Virginia, our government was riddled with communists

You're right.

And you know what? We still have 'em. When you hear Hollywood and the media go crazy about people who were "Black Listed"...it is out of fear and loathing. The left knew they were found out--and they didn't like it.

[quietolong]

About the best NOVA could do to maintain the demonization of McCarthy

LOL Well for gods sake It’s PBS in Boston ( little /s )

I think that he should somewhat be demonization. Had he conducted him self better instead of trying to make political hay the term McCarthyism would not have evolved to keep others from digging into this.

[quietolong]

under the Lend-Lease program, tons of nuclear materials were shipped to the USSR

The book Dark Sun goes very much into this It's a good read !

[quietolong]

This would make a fascinating movie.

Well let's make it !
The first FR production !

[jamaksin]

Yes, the Chapter "Super Lend-Lease" is quite a read.

Literally boxcars of "stuff" got shipped to the USSR - oh, yes the head of Lend-Lease - Harry "The Hop" Hopkins!!! One of FDR's favorites!!!

[quietolong]

Ahh you've read it. Have you read RR's other book Makeing of the A-Bomb ?

[ex-snook]

"I have heard that a number of 'journalists' were on the payroll of the Soviet Union and this was long after the Stalin era.Many more than just I.F. Stone. "

And today's 'journalists' still use McCarthy's name as a smear word. Tail gunner Joe was getting too close and they still want the truth buried about foreign interest supporters, then and now.

When you see someone today catch the flak of pundits (Buchanan), you know he is over the target.

[Pagey]

I didn't see the show, but I received "The Venona Secrets" for Christmas,among others,and am only about 80-85 pages in and it is amazing reading.I must complete it first,before I buy copies for my my horrible,liberal, co-workers birthdays this year.That is my plan.

[quietolong]

I did not know there was a book on this. What's the rest of the info on the book. I'll see if I can get it.

[jamaksin]

Yes ... even have a few chunks of "Trinitite" on my desk.

[quietolong]

Cool!

[quietolong]

have the book on order. can't wait for it to come in.