AN ERA OF FEAR

Brinkmanship “If a Nation would dare to attack us, or perchance one of our allies, with a force of X, it would become incumbent upon us to respond with a force of 2X. Needless to say, we would retaliate at a time of our choosing, in a place of our choosing, and in a method of our choosing. This is what we would like to call 'Massive Retaliation'.” The American policy of brinkmanship is born – willingness to go to the brink of all-out nuclear war.

Spies Make Headlines – Creating a RED SCARE!! Julius & Ethel Rosenberg Alger Hiss Congressman Nixon pursues the case against Hiss…

Alger Hiss Hiss, a State Department official, was called out by former Communist spy Klaus Fuchs, who claimed that Hiss had passed secrets to the Soviets. Evidence was produced that could have been typed in Hiss’s typewriter, so he was convicted and jailed in Richard Nixon, a Congressman, gained fame by prosecuting him. Americans freak out! We do have spies in our own government!

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg More newsworthy than the Hiss case was the Soviet getting the secrets of the atom bomb! Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, minor communist activists, were named as spies, again by Klaus Fuchs in They claimed they were being persecuted for being Jews who held radical beliefs, but Americans didn’t care – the Soviets had the bomb and someone needed to take the responsibility! When sentencing them to death, the Judge claimed that what the Rosenbergs did was “worse than murder.” They were the 1 st U.S. civilians executed for espionage.

Loyalty Review Boards Truman wants to prove he’s taking the Communist threat seriously not only in Europe, but at home as well (domestically), so he institutes… Government employees were investigated and needed to prove that they are loyal to the US Government – how do you prove that? You sign an oath. If not signed you were fired

House of Cards

HUAC The House Un-American Activities Committee was one of the organizations formed to investigate communist influence. They chose to focus on the movie industry, believing that Hollywood was sneaking Communist propaganda into its films. And of course, because it was Hollywood, the trials were highly publicized.

The House Committee on Un-American Activities Investigates the Hollywood Movie Industry!! Live on Television!

Hollywood Responds While major stars of the era such as Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart and Gene Kelly signed a petition denouncing the hearings as un- America…many other Hollywood notables became friendly witnesses. Ronald Reagan, president of the Screen Actors Guild, and Walt Disney, both testified on communist activities in Hollywood, connecting Communism to the labor movement and labor unions.

10 Unfriendly Witnesses Dubbed the “Hollywood 10” refused to answer questions based on their un- Constitutionality (goes against Freedom of Speech!) and were sent to prison and blacklisted (could never work in industry again.) Hollywood 10Hollywood 10

This Senator from Wisconsin, Joseph McCarthy, desperately needed a campaign idea to win the next election…and it seemed that America was pretty scared of Communists…

McCarthyMcCarthy’s tactics… use HUAC trials to accuse people without evidence! McCarthy

McCarthyism The hysteria that Joseph McCarthy led, named McCarthyism, was based on him claiming to have lists (containing various numbers, depending on when you asked him) of communist party members in our government. He never provided evidence, because the hysteria was enough to cause doubt…

McCarthy’s Downfall McCarthy finally took his hysteria too far when he accused prominent U.S. clergy as well as Army members. His televised hearings without evidence, where he bullied the witnesses, cost him his reputation, and American support. On the stand, one witness exclaimed “You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?” The Senate publically condemned and censured McCarthy, who died three years later from alcoholism.

Overview of the Red Scare During the course of anti- communist hysteria in America, the government investigated journalists, teachers, scientists and librarians. Nobody was safe. People were afraid to sign petitions quoting the Declaration of Independence for fear that it might be seen as subversive. No occupation was safe, no ideas harmless…