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Whittaker Chambers

Definition

Whittaker Chambers was a former Communist Party member and Soviet spy in the United States who later renounced his communist affiliations and became an outspoken critic. He is best known for his role in the Alger Hiss case, where he testified that Hiss, a high-ranking U.S. State Department official, was also a Soviet spy.

Analogy

Think of Whittaker Chambers as a player on a soccer team who decides to switch teams mid-game. Not only does he change sides, but he also reveals some of the original team's strategies to his new teammates.

Related terms

Alger Hiss: A U.S. government official accused of being a Soviet spy by Whittaker Chambers. His trial was one of the most famous episodes of the Cold War.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC): A committee of the U.S. House of Representatives that investigated allegations of communist activity in the U.S during the early years of the Cold War.

Joseph McCarthy: A U.S senator known for making claims that there were large numbers of Communists and Soviet spies inside the United States federal government.