The Hiss Trials

The Hiss Trials in the late 1940s involved Alger Hiss, a former State Department official accused of spying for the Soviet Union. Whittaker Chambers, a former Communist and convicted spy, accused Hiss of passing secret government documents. The trials generated intense political debate, with Hiss denying the accusations. Evidence, including microfilm of documents hidden in a pumpkin, was presented. Hiss was convicted of perjury in 1950, not espionage, and became a symbol of Cold War fears and anti-communist efforts in the United States. The trials highlighted concerns about security and loyalty during that tense period.