After his graduation from Harvard Law School, James B. Donovan (1916-1970) served as a commander in...

 

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After his graduation from Harvard Law School, James B. Donovan (1916-1970) served as a commander in the Navy and associate prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals. Subsequently, he practiced insurance law as a partner at Watters and Donovan in New York. For four and a half years he did his best to defend Soviet spy Rudolf Abel and to appeal Abel's conviction despite harsh public cen- sure as a "Commie lover." Unlike the Rosenbergs, Abel was sentenced to prison rather than execution, thanks largely to Donovan's prescient argument that Abel might be useful in a future spy exchange. Donovan had expected to work pro bono, but was awarded a $10,000 fee that he donated to Harvard, Columbia, and Fordham law schools. In 1962, Donovan was called on to travel to East Berlin at great personal risk in order to arrange the exchange of Francis Gary Powers for Rudolf Abel. Through his cour- age and negotiating skills he was also able to bring home a young Yale graduate student, Frederic Pryor. In the same year, he acceded to the request of Cuban fam- ilies to negotiate with Castro for the release of Bay of Pigs survivors. Through several visits with Fidel Castro, includ - ing during the Cuban Missile Crisis, he managed to win the freedom of 1,163 survivors, nearly 5,000 of their relatives, and 35 Americans who were being held on other charges. Discussion Questions Timeline of events 1957 Jim Donovan defends Rudolf Abel on espionage charges, loses the case, and continues with an appeal. FEBRUARY 1962 - Donovan negotiates the release of U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers in exchange for Abel. JUNE 1962 Donovan negotiates the release of survivors of the Bay of Pigs invasion and others being held by Cuba. 2. How did Donovan's choices affect his family? What was their reaction? How did his choices affect his legal career and his relationship with his law firm? What personal risks to his safety did he endure? What were his motivations for these difficult choices? James B. Donovan (1962) 3. Why does Abel say that Donovan reminds him of a man he knew during the Russian Civil War, the one the par- tisans referred to as Stoikey Muzhik (Standing Man)? Is this an apt comparison ? 4. From the icy reception Powers gets from officials on the plane, he realizes that he cannot expect a warm welcome upon his return to the United States. Donovan tells him, "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what people think. You know what you did." Do you agree with this state- ment? Why, or why not? After his graduation from Harvard Law School, James B. Donovan (1916-1970) served as a commander in the Navy and associate prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals. Subsequently, he practiced insurance law as a partner at Watters and Donovan in New York. For four and a half years he did his best to defend Soviet spy Rudolf Abel and to appeal Abel's conviction despite harsh public cen- sure as a "Commie lover." Unlike the Rosenbergs, Abel was sentenced to prison rather than execution, thanks largely to Donovan's prescient argument that Abel might be useful in a future spy exchange. Donovan had expected to work pro bono, but was awarded a $10,000 fee that he donated to Harvard, Columbia, and Fordham law schools. In 1962, Donovan was called on to travel to East Berlin at great personal risk in order to arrange the exchange of Francis Gary Powers for Rudolf Abel. Through his cour- age and negotiating skills he was also able to bring home a young Yale graduate student, Frederic Pryor. In the same year, he acceded to the request of Cuban fam- ilies to negotiate with Castro for the release of Bay of Pigs survivors. Through several visits with Fidel Castro, includ - ing during the Cuban Missile Crisis, he managed to win the freedom of 1,163 survivors, nearly 5,000 of their relatives, and 35 Americans who were being held on other charges. Discussion Questions Timeline of events 1957 Jim Donovan defends Rudolf Abel on espionage charges, loses the case, and continues with an appeal. FEBRUARY 1962 - Donovan negotiates the release of U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers in exchange for Abel. JUNE 1962 Donovan negotiates the release of survivors of the Bay of Pigs invasion and others being held by Cuba. 2. How did Donovan's choices affect his family? What was their reaction? How did his choices affect his legal career and his relationship with his law firm? What personal risks to his safety did he endure? What were his motivations for these difficult choices? James B. Donovan (1962) 3. Why does Abel say that Donovan reminds him of a man he knew during the Russian Civil War, the one the par- tisans referred to as Stoikey Muzhik (Standing Man)? Is this an apt comparison ? 4. From the icy reception Powers gets from officials on the plane, he realizes that he cannot expect a warm welcome upon his return to the United States. Donovan tells him, "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what people think. You know what you did." Do you agree with this state- ment? Why, or why not?

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2 Family ImpactDonovans professional decisions likely placed considerable strain on his family dynam... View the full answer