1953, June 19th
Alfred wonders if this is what it means to be a hero, watching the couple brought out from their cells and into a brick-walled stage. Tonight’s show is the execution of two traitors, murderers jeopardizing the people of America.

They are the first.
They will be the last.

It is nearly sundown.

1951, March
The condemned sit in a far corner of the room behind bars, while the rest of the court circles, like vultures, stalking closer and closer.

The trial begins.

It goes like this:
“He said that he wanted my husband to give him information to be passed on to the Russians –”
“– I received further telephone calls from the person describing himself as Julius…”
“… Ethel was typing the notes when I entered the room –”
“– Yes, your Honor. I explained my notes concerning the atomic bomb to her.”

They will pay for their crimes.
For America is the Land of Freedom, and Russia isn’t.

1989
Russia smiles that simple smile of his and croons you sat them in the electric chair for nothing, all childish glee and cruel mocking.
“We got nothing from them.”

1951, April
By April they are sentenced to death.

“Citizens of this country who betray their fellow-countrymen can be under none of the delusions about the benignity of Soviet power that they might have been prior to World War II. The nature of Russian terrorism is now self-evident…

“I believe your conduct in putting into the hands of the Russians the A-bomb years before our best scientists predicted Russia would perfect the bomb has already caused the Communist aggression in Korea... Millions more of innocent people may pay the price of your treason.”

The Judge paused; America is rigid with tension.

Somewhere far off, there are wails and tears piercing the skies. Like sirens, like warning bells.
(– He tenses, sucks in a frozen breath, waits –)
I hereby sentence you to execution under the Espionage Act.
(–and Alfred allows himself a feral smile then.)

Russia will not win this.

1951, May
There are messages from all over Europe.

From France: You are afraid of the shadow of your own bomb.
From England: America has betrayed his own principles.
From Italy: Pope Pius XII condemns the execution. So let them go!

Mexico paints. Things like: the sky was painted in flames; Liberty burns like a heathen on sharpened stakes and many others besides, and makes sure he sends them to Alfred with a note to put them up on you bedroom wall. Sweet dreams.

From France again: Do not let this crime against humanity take place!

America can only scream; phrases like:
“Worse than murder”
“Betrayal”
“Diabolical conspiracy”
“Treachery”
tumble out of his mouth, again and again.
He can’t be wrong.

(But he starts to listen. Just in case.)

1953, June 19th
The sky is dyed orange and red; flames burning on stone and cotton of snow.
They trembled, defiant.
Their eyes say: there will be others who fight for freedom without cost, after us.
We know this with a conviction that defeats the executioner!

1951, August
The hours and minutes count, ticking backwards.
He can still hear Francis and Arthur and Romano shouting, and echoed whispers spread like wildfire among his people. The National Guardian published a series of papers. Questioning –
The trials.
Freedom.
Truth.
People ate it up – something rolls in the bottom of his stomach, something burns under his skin.
A defense committee formed soon afterwards.

The whispers turn into shouts, like France and England and everyone else. Louder.
Louder.

Alfred crawls into bed.

1953, June 19th
Silence rang in the hall like a paean.
The sun sinks as a new year approaches.

1953, February
The President had refused the appeal from the Pope, and his people are rioting outside the White House.
Snatches of song floated up, and the chant of bloodthirsty/hysterical fear/injustice rings in the flurry of activity like a fluttered breath. Like words that don’t mean anything – he heard them all before.
He imagines he will hear them long after.

Oppress'd so hard they could not stand, Let my People go.

Alfred feels sick, but America needs to be firm – or the Communists will overrun him.
Justice will be delivered.

1953, June 19th
America is a hero, he cannot be wrong.
No.
So –
They deserved it for betraying their country.
It’s the commie bastard’s fault.
They brought it on themselves.
– he watched them, strapped into chairs, and flicked the switch on.

Smoke rises around her head like a halo.

***
Notes:
<sub>On June 19th 1953, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed for espionage (accused for leaking the secret of the atomic bombs in particular). The trial began on March 6th 1951 and by April 5th they were sentenced to death. Picasso had written “The minutes count. The hours count. Do not let this crime against humanity take place” in L’Humanité (a French newspaper) and Sartre noted that America “was afraid of the shadow” of its “own bomb”. There were protests in London, Paris and Rome. Many people from all over Europe and South America were against this execution. After the National Guardian published a series concerning them, a defense committee was formed in August 1951. However, in February 1953, the president vetoed the appeal from Pope Pius XII and the execution went ahead.
The Rosenbergs were Jewish, and they were executed just before Sabbath (meaning that they died right before the Jewish New Year begins). Recent documents show that Julius Rosenberg was really a spy for the USSR, but there was very little evidence for Ethel’s involvement. In 1989, the NYT interviewed Boris V. Brokhovich, who said the atomic bombs were developed by trial and error with no assistance of leaked secrets.

Italy refers to Romano/S.Italy (since most of the rallies seemed to take place there).</sub>

ConCrit more than welcome!