1. The Cold War at Home
26-3

2. 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

3. 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 : 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

4. 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

5. 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)

6. 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

7. 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 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

8. 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

9. 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