1. November 12, 2010
Why were Americans worried about the security of the U.S.?
The Hollywood Ten
Alger Hiss
Ethel and Julius Rosenburg
Homework: Section 4 Worksheet (NOT NOTES)

2. Fear of Communist Influence
Height of WWII marked 100,000 American communists
Caused:
Loyalty Review Board
House of Un-American Activities Committee

3. Loyalty Review Board
Anti-communist Republicans blaming Truman of being soft
Truman issued Federal Employee Loyalty Program (Loyalty Review Board)
Investigate government workers and dismiss those disloyal
Membership to “submersive” organizations were grounds for suspicion
Individuals under investigation not allowed to see the evidence against them

4. House Un-American Activities Committee
(HUAC) – investigated communist influence both in the government and with domestics
1947 – began focusing on movie industry ‘sneaking’ communist propaganda into films

5. Hollywood Ten
Most witnesses were friendly as they testified that they did or did not see propaganda in the scripts presented to them
Ten refused: The Hollywood Ten
Believed hearings were unconstitutional
They were sent to prison
The blacklist was instituted (condemned certain people for having Communist background)

6. The McCarran Act
The Two Spy Cases :
Alger Hiss
The Rosenbergs

7. Alger Hiss
Whittaker Chambers accused Hiss of spying for the Soviet Union
produced microfilm of documents that had been typed on Hiss’s Typewriter
Hiss charged with purgery and was sent to jail
Nixon gained fame for pursuing such charges

8. Leaking Info to the Soviets
September 1949 – Soviets explode an atomic bomb
Americans wonder if our secrets of how to create the bomb had been leaked
1950 – Klaus Fuchs admitted giving the Soviet Union information about the U.S. bomb which probably inabled the Soviets to develop thier own early

9. The Rosenbergs Ethel and Julius were also implicated by Fuchs
They denied the charges and pled the Fifth Amendment
Claimed they were being personally persecuted for being Jewish radicals
Were found guilty of espionage and sentenced to death in 1953
1997 proved that Julius was a spy but did not give bomb info to the Soviets

10. McCarthy Launches his « Witch Hunt »
Senator Joseph McCarthy (Rep.)
Ineffective legislator
To win reelection in 1952, he charged that Communists were taking over the government

11. McCarthyism
Unsupported attacks on suspected Communists in the early 1950’s
No evidence
Charged Democratic Party of 20 years treason (allowing communism into our country)
Why was he careful in only accusing Senate members?
Republicans did little to stop him. Why?

12. McCarthy’s Downfall 1954 – he made accusation against the U.S. Army
Televised Senate investigation prompted
His bullying of witnessed alienated the audiences and cost him public support

13. Other Anti-Communist Measures
39 States passed laws making it illegal to advocate the overthrow the government
Cities and towns followed suit
Laws were deemed unconstitutional (free speech)
Crazy new things out of fear:
Loyalty oaths
Investigated everyone
Fear to quote the declaration of independence