1. The Cold War at Home US History B 18.3

2. Post WW II Strikes War ends – Workers demand raises of up to 30% To match invlation 113 day GM strike

3. Radicals Influenced the Labor Movement – As organizers  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8x1_q9wg58 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8x1_q9wg58  Great Flint Sitdown Strike from M. Moore 1:15

4. Fear Of Reds/Labor Unions in the USA  Labor unions grew tremendously from the late 1030’s – late 1940’s  Labor influenced the political process – aligned with the Democratic Party  Business profits at risk

5. Fear of Communism http://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=AWeZ5SKXvj8  Early Cold War era:  Fear of communism prevalent  Communists in America  Height of WWII, 80,000 American members of Communist Party

6. Communist and Socialist Involvement with Labor  Many labor unions organized with CP and SWP and SP help in the late 1930’s  Some radicals were elected to union office positions Henry Kraus – Socialists Bob Travis – Communist Key organizers Flint Sit Down Strike

7. Challenging Loyalties: Loyalty Review Board  Truman’s executive order, March 1947  Investigate government employees  Dismiss those disloyal to the US government  Investigate 3.2 million employees  Dismiss 212  2,900 resigned to avoid investigation  Individuals cannot see evidence against them

8. Challenging Loyalties: House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)  Congressional committee to investigate Communist influence in movie industry  Subpoenaed 43 witnesses  Most “friendly”  Hollywood Ten  “Unfriendly” witnesses who refused to testify when called  Sent to prison for refusing to answer questions  In response, Hollywood issues a blacklist  500 blacklisted

9. A Spy Among Us? Alger Hiss  Alger Hiss:  State Department official  Accused of being a communist spy by a former communist spy (1948)  Forged documents?  Congressman Richard Nixon pursues case  Convicted of perjury (not espionage) and sent to jail

10. A Spy Among Us? The Rosenbergs  September 3, 1949: USSR has detonated an atomic bomb  So soon?  Did communist supporters leak secrets?  1950: Klaus Fuchs admits to sharing information about America’s BOMB  Implicates Ethel & Julius Rosenberg

11. A Spy Among Us? The Rosenbergs  The Rosenbergs:  Minor activists in the American Communist Party  The trial:  Rosenbergs plead the fifth—claim persecution based on their religion and radical beliefs  The Sentence:  Rosenbergs sentenced to death (June 1953)  First US civilians executed for espionage

12. Joseph McCarthy  Republican Senator from Wisconsin  Reputation for being poor legislator  Looking to make a name for himself and win reelection  http://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=Nh18dZk8QAY http://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=Nh18dZk8QAY  McCarthy Film from china to lists

13. McCarthyism

14. McCarthyism Videos:  Edward R. Murrow: See it Now (2:03) Edward R. Murrow: See it Now

15. McCarthy’s Witch Hunts  McCarthyism: Attacks on suspected Communists in the early 1950s  Began when McCarthy started making accusations unsupported by evidence  Other Republicans?  Didn’t stop McCarthy—though his attacks would help them win the presidency in 1952  McCarthy’s Downfall:  1954—accusations against the US Army result in nationally televised Senate investigation  Showed McCarthy as a bully—Senate condemns him for improper conduct