Difference between revisions of "Steve Nelson (spy)"
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| − | '''Steve Nelson''' was a National | + | '''Steve Nelson''' was a member of the National Committee of the [[Communist Party USA]] who had ties to [[USSR|Soviet]] intelligence. |
| − | + | Born '''Stjepan Mesaros''' in Čaglić, Croatia in 1903, he entered the [[United States]] on June 12, 1920 under an illegal and fraudulent passport under the false name of Joseph Fleischinger. He joined the [[Communist Party]] in 1925 and was granted United States citizenship in 1928.<ref>Daniel J. Leab, ''I Was a Communist for the F.B.I.: The Unhappy Life and Times of Matt Cvetic'' (State College, Penn: Penn State Press, 2000) ISBN 0271020539, p. 83</ref> | |
| − | Nelson received special training | + | Nelson received special training at the [[Lenin School]] in [[Moscow]] in 1931, and in 1933 acted as an operative for the [[Communist International]] in [[Shanghai]], China. In 1936 and 1937, he served as a lieutenant colonel in the Communist-recruited [[International Brigades]] in Spain. Although active as a Communist Party organizer in California and Pennsylvania and as a member of the Communist Party National Committee, his most important assignment was [[atomic espionage]]. |
In April 1943 the [[FBI]] monitored a meeting in Nelson's home.<ref>Robert Louis Benson and Michael Warner, eds., ''[https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/venona-soviet-espionage-and-the-american-response-1939-1957/venona.htm VENONA: Soviet Espionage and the American Response, 1939-1957]'' (National Security Agency/Central Intelligence Agency, 1996), Preface</ref> An FBI report stated, | In April 1943 the [[FBI]] monitored a meeting in Nelson's home.<ref>Robert Louis Benson and Michael Warner, eds., ''[https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/venona-soviet-espionage-and-the-american-response-1939-1957/venona.htm VENONA: Soviet Espionage and the American Response, 1939-1957]'' (National Security Agency/Central Intelligence Agency, 1996), Preface</ref> An FBI report stated, | ||
Revision as of 23:10, November 28, 2009
Steve Nelson was a member of the National Committee of the Communist Party USA who had ties to Soviet intelligence.
Born Stjepan Mesaros in Čaglić, Croatia in 1903, he entered the United States on June 12, 1920 under an illegal and fraudulent passport under the false name of Joseph Fleischinger. He joined the Communist Party in 1925 and was granted United States citizenship in 1928.[1]
Nelson received special training at the Lenin School in Moscow in 1931, and in 1933 acted as an operative for the Communist International in Shanghai, China. In 1936 and 1937, he served as a lieutenant colonel in the Communist-recruited International Brigades in Spain. Although active as a Communist Party organizer in California and Pennsylvania and as a member of the Communist Party National Committee, his most important assignment was atomic espionage.
In April 1943 the FBI monitored a meeting in Nelson's home.[2] An FBI report stated,
- "Through a highly confidential and reliable source it has been determined that on April 10, 1943, a Russian who is an agent of the Communist International paid a sum of money to Steve Nelson, National Committeeman of the Communist Party USA, at the latter's home in Oakland, California. The money was reportedly paid to Nelson for the purpose of placing Communist Party members and Comintern agents in industries engaged in secret war production for the United States Government so that information could be obtained for transmittal to the Soviet Union."[3]
The FBI later identified the Russian as Vasili Zarubin, KGB North American Rezident. FBI Director Hoover alerted President Franklin Roosevelt and his advisor Harry Hopkins of the information,
- "Because of the relationship demonstrated in this investigation between the Communist Party, USA, the Communist International and the Soviet Government, I thought the President and you would be interested in these data. These matters are being brought to your attention at this time for your confidential information inasmuch as the investigation is continuing."
The information was sensitive because it revealed that the FBI had a microphone in Communist leader Steve Nelson's home and could record all of his conversations.
Nelson had at times been in contact with Rudy Baker who in the early 1940's was a high official in the Communist International apparatus operating in the United States.
See also
References
- ↑ Daniel J. Leab, I Was a Communist for the F.B.I.: The Unhappy Life and Times of Matt Cvetic (State College, Penn: Penn State Press, 2000) ISBN 0271020539, p. 83
- ↑ Robert Louis Benson and Michael Warner, eds., VENONA: Soviet Espionage and the American Response, 1939-1957 (National Security Agency/Central Intelligence Agency, 1996), Preface
- ↑ Herbert Romerstein, "A Valuable New Book on the KGB," Accuracy in Media, May 13, 2009