1. Communism at Home in the 1950s

2. President Truman’s Policies Federal Employee Loyalty Program (1947) – slightest suspicion of disloyalty or connection to a Communist party member would get you fired from your job –Criticizing American foreign policy –Advocating equal rights for women –Owning books on socialism –Attending foreign films –Association or former association with radicals

3. President Truman’s Policies National Security Act of 1947 –Established the Department of Defense and National Security Council to administer and coordinate defense and advise President –CIA was established

4. House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) Held hearings during the 1930s to explore the issue of Communist influence in FDR’s administration Tried to do the same with Truman’s administration Looked into the entertainment industry Had the power to subpeona witnesses and compel them to answer all questions or face contempt of Congress charges

5. Richard Nixon – Congressman who was a member of HUAC

7. Blacklisting – effort to accuse people of being Communists and prevent people from holding jobs

8. Truman vetoes McCarran Act, Congress overrides it Made it illegal for Americans to engage in activities that would create a Communist government Required Communist organizations to register with the federal government Communists were not allowed to work in defense plants or obtain U.S. passports

9. Alger Hiss

10. The Meeting Nixon met with Whittaker Chambers – Sr. editor at Time magazine and former Communist Chambers told Nixon that Alger Hiss was a Communist working in the government HUAC did not have enough evidence against Hiss until…

11. Investigators visited Chambers farm in Maryland Chambers led them to his Pumpkin Patch Opened the top of a pumpkin and pulled out a roll of microfilm which contained State Department documents (PUMPKIN PAPERS) which were linked to Hiss’ typewriter Hiss convicted of two counts of perjury and sentenced to five years in jail Hiss was ruined, Nixon was a hero

12. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

13. Who let the secret out? Who? Who? Klaus Fuchs – British scientist who admitted to giving the Soviets secrets on the atom bomb Investigation led to Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Ethel’s brother was stationed at the Manhattan Project and claimed that they recruited him to collect information June 19, 1953 – Rosenberg’s executed

14. Senator Joseph McCarthy

15. McCarthyism February 9, 1950 – at a Republican Women’s Club Meeting in Wheeling, WV – Wisconsin senator Joseph McCarthy claims that he has the names of 205 Communists working in the State Department McCarthyism – term given to the use of intimidation and often unfounded accusations in the name of fighting communism

16. McCarthyism Public sided with him at first because they thought he was being patriotic for rooting Communists out of our government 1954 – McCarthy goes too far when he accuses the U.S. Army of being Communist Proved wrong on national television, public support turned against him