Overview
Part of the American Stories Series, THE ALGER HISS ESPIONAGE CASE follows this famous espionage case from the time Whittaker Chambers, appearing before a congressional committee, accused Alger Hiss of being a member of the Communist Party to Hiss's conviction for perjury in 1950. The whole affair was arguably the most dramatic verification that Soviet espionage indeed had penetrated the U.S. government and thus gave impetus to that early Cold War phenomenon of McCarthyism. Each book in the American Stories Series is devoted to a salient event in American history. Each brings together evidence about some of those whose lives mattered in the making of our common story. And, each text enables students to use primary historical evidence to determine what actually happened, why, and how those events have shaped the course of America's story. Visit www.newtexts.com for other books in the series.
Synopsis
The historical debate over the Alger Hiss espionage case shows little sign of abating in the half century since it happened. This text provides a portrait of this important aspect of Cold War history through the presentation of primary source documents and contemporary news reports. The materials presented includes testimony by Hiss and his accuser, Whittaker Chambers before the House Un-American Activities Committee, transcripts of portions of the Hiss perjury trials, newspaper editorials, and responses by prominent political figures. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR