The Cold War at Home 26-3

Setting the Scene War in Korea Communist China Containment failing Red scare spreading in the U.S. Fear of Americans having Soviet ties During WWII , 80,000 Americans claimed membership to Communist Party

Loyalty Review Board Issued by Truman in March 1947 to prove he was not soft on communism Its purpose was to investigate government employees and dismiss those who were found to be disloyal to the U.S. government From 1947-1951: 3.2 million employees were investigated, 212 dismissed as security risks 2,900 resigned in order to avoid investigations or to fight the unconstitutionality of the investigations

McCarran International Security Act 1950- passed by Congress making it unlawful to plan any action that might lead to the establishment of a totalitarian dictatorship in the U.S. Truman vetoed the bill (can’t punish people for opinions they have, only crimes they commit) Congress overrode the veto

House of Un-American Activities Committee Congressional committee that investigated Communist influence inside and outside the U.S. government following WWII In 1947, HUAC began to investigate communist influence in the movie industry Believed communists were sneaking propaganda into U.S. films Witnesses were called to testify, the unfriendly ones, called the “Hollywood Ten”, decided not to testify because they believed the hearings were unconstitutional. They were sent to prison Hollywood instituted a blacklist of those they condemned for having a Communist background (about 500 in all were blacklisted and it ruined careers)

Alger Hiss/ The Rosenbergs Accused in 1948 of spying for the Soviet Union Convicted of perjury for lying about the “government documents typed on his typewriter” Sent to jail, claimed innocence Highly publicized case September 3, 1949, Americans learn of Soviets exploding an atomic bomb Fear of information leak to the Soviets 1950, German born physicist Klaus Fuchs admitted to giving the Soviets information on the atomic bomb He implicated that Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were also involved Both plead the fifth when asked if they were Communists Found guilty of espionage and sentenced to death Both were executed in June 1953

McCarthyism Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy from Wisconsin, launched a witch hunt against so-called Communists He attacked suspected Communists in the early 1950’s with out any evidence of their disloyalty of Communist connections Republicans did not stop McCarthy due to the upcoming 1952 election and America’s Communism hysteria 1954: McCarthy made accusations against the U.S. Army which led to a Senate investigation Senate condemned him for improper conduct Died three years later

Causes and Effects of McCarthyism Anti-communism hysteria Communist regimes on rise in Eastern Europe Republicans accuse Truman and Democrats of being soft on communism Loyalty oaths and investigations Fear of government and speaking out on public issues Anti-communism drives U.S. foreign policy

Anti-Communism 39 states passed laws by 1953 making it illegal to advocate the illegal overthrow of the government Loyalty oaths sprung up everywhere Everyone was under the magnifying glass People feared that the ideas within Declaration of Independence could be Communist