The Second Red Scare

Semi-Socialist policies of the New Deal left an opening for conservatives to attack FDR’s and Truman’s policies Fear of Communist infiltration led to close scrutiny in academic and political sectors Suspicion that anyone with liberal views could be a potential communist March 1947- Truman issues Executive Order 9835, requiring all federal employees be analyzed to measure their loyalty to the US. Suspicion and Fear

The House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) is formed in 1938 to investigate communist and fascist activity in the US 1950- Senator Joseph McCarthy, a republican from Wisconsin, announced that he had a list of Communists in the State Department Authenticity of the list was never verified Made a habit of reckless accusations that gained him support and attention from the nation McCarthyism

McCarthyism cont. Tensions increased after McCarthy’s accusations Sept. of 1950- Congress passes the McCarran Act over Truman’s veto Required members of the Communist party in America to register with the Subversive Activities Control Board J.Edgar Hoover and the FBI heightened their investigations into Communist activity, claiming that they had identified 14,000 Communist agents in the USA McCarthyism cont.

In 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are arrested for passing atomic secrets to the Soviets Appearing before a Grand Jury, they are indicted on 11 counts of espionage Family connections to the atomic research facilities in New Mexico Both were executed in 1953 Later revealed that Julius was guilty, but Ethel was a minor participant at most Extreme Measures

Hollywood and the Red Scare HUAC began its investigation of the film industry in 1947- fearing Communist influence in the media would negatively affect Americans view of the world Hollywood actors, actresses, writers and directors were all forced to submit to examinations to determine their loyalty to the US Some of Hollywood’s elite protested against the hearings, others gave into either their suspicions or the pressure and named suspected Communists in the film industry Hollywood and the Red Scare

Hollywood and the Red Scare cont. Those who protested became known as the Hollywood Ten and were given jail sentences for defying the court Fearing the same treatment, Hollywood quickly complied with HUACC inquests when the hearings restarted in 1951 Responded with many anti-communist films Hollywood and the Red Scare cont.

Espionage Were there really Communist spies in the US? Yes- in the 1930s, the Comintern(Communist International) supplied the growing Communist party in the US with supplies, and political orders that they were to follow without question Alger Hiss- prominent State Department official who was convicted in 1955 of leaking classified documents to the Soviets Yes, there were spies, but not nearly as many as we suspected Maybe 300 of the 50,000 members of the Communist party in the United States were involved in espionage Espionage

March 9, 1954, journalist Edward R March 9, 1954, journalist Edward R. Murrow exposed McCarthy’s actions for what they were on his television program, See it Now The next day, McCarthy accuses Murrow of being a communist His popularity began to rapidly decline Later that year, McCarthy was examined by a Senate committee and removed from office for conduct unbecoming of his office Although the panic declined, HUAC continued its anti-communist crusade into the 1960s End of the Red Scare

Shifting Relationships Dwight D. Eisenhower is elected in 1952 and negotiated the peace in Korea in 1953 Joseph Stalin dies in March of 1953, leaving Nikita Khrushchev as leader of the USSR Change in power led to some lessening of tension As tensions eased, citizens in Eastern Europe protested for more rights and the removal of Soviet troops- Soviets responded harshly- troops suppressing rebellions Many in Eastern Germany, Poland and Hungary began leaving for the west To stop the mass exodus of people, the Soviets constructed the Berlin Wall in 1961- dividing West and East Berlin Berlin Wall Shifting Relationships

Discussion What does the Second Red Scare say about people’s natural tendencies? Why were McCarthy’s actions hypocritical or ironic? How do you think McCarthyism and the Second Red Scare impacted the Cold War?