The trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, which began on this day in 1951, remains one of the most infamous espionage cases in U.S. history. Accused of passing atomic bomb secrets to the Soviet Union, their conviction sparked global controversy and debate over the fairness of their trial and the evidence used against them. Despite worldwide appeals for clemency, they were executed in 1953.
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jt--86EhYwc/maxresdefault.jpg)