Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
How The Red Scare Shook Up Rocket Research And Led One Pioneering Scientist To A Life Of Art
A test of a WAC Corporal rocket, an early rocket that was the first to reach hypersonic speed.
(
Archival image courtesy M.G. Lord
)
In a two-part arc on our podcast LA Made: Blood, Sweat & Rockets we explore how members of the Suicide Squad, the name given to the early rocket pioneers at JPL, find themselves under scrutiny for alleged Communist ties.
Frank Malina, a pivotal figure in this early and dangerous research, questions the warmongering results of his intellectual labor. And then, we delve into how the Suicide Squad fell under Joseph McCarthy’s microscope, and how Malina eluded consequences to become a political refugee and artist in France.
What to expect in these episodes
This photo, taken in 1945, shows Frank Malina and WAC Corporal Project Coordinator P.J. Meeks standing with an early JPL rocket.
(
Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech
)
Support for LAist comes from
In Seeing Red, government paranoia over communist espionage is ratcheting up. The FBI bears down on U.S. citizens perceived to be “security risks” — people like Malina and his fellow Suicide Squad members. At the same time, Malina has mounting doubts about the military’s intended use of his scientific research. He leaves for Paris, but will he be safe there?
Listen
• 30:02
Listen: Frank Malina flees to Paris with the FBI hot on his trail
In Lucky Break, as McCarthyism cracks down on prominent figures with communist ties, Malina is no longer in the U.S. How did he manage to avoid incarceration when so many of his colleagues were being convicted for their own communist affiliations?
Listen
• 25:04
Listen: Frank Malina finds work with UNESCO but the FBI isn't giving up
Why you should listen
These are the first two episodes in a trilogy about the Red Scare. They outline the story about how the U.S. government — looking to root out potential spy rings within its ranks — found a willing informant in one of Malina’s former colleagues. Find out who had an ax to grind. Also, discover how Malina lost the battle to remain a U.S. scientist but won the war of finding the freedom to innovate for himself and not the military.
What other themes will you cover?
Political witch hunts, government surveillance, intrigue, and finding out who your true allies are when the government stops being polite.
Support for LAist comes from
That sounds great! How do I find the whole podcast?
It's available now from LAist Studios. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts! And you can also listen to these episode in the players above.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs. -
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons Thursday after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
Best of LAist