1. Fear, Hysteria, and Injustice in the Cold War
The Red Scare
Fear, Hysteria, and Injustice in the Cold War

2. Loyalty Review Program
1947
Program to screen all federal employees
Confirmed public fears of Communism sweeping the nation
6 million federal employees screened for loyalty
Reading certain books
Belonging to certain groups
Traveling overseas
Seeing certain foreign films
No actual evidence of disloyalty ever found

3. House Un-American Activities Committee
1938, investigate Communist and Fascist activities in US
1947, J. Edgar Hoover expands it
Hold public hearings to reveal Communist subversion (efforts to weaken society or overthrow government)
Expose Communists
Expose Communist sympathizers
Scrutinize dissenters

4. Hollywood Government suspicion and accusations focused on Hollywood
Fear of film as a powerful cultural force to spread Communism in the US
HUAC Questions:
“Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist party?”
Name other members of the party
Loyalty
Patriotism
Dissent
“Uncooperative” suspects
Jailed for perjury or contempt
Hollywood Ten
Blacklisted

5. The Rosenbergs Fear of spies passing government secrets to USSR
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
New York
Members of the Communist Party
Arrested for heading a Soviet spy ring
Denied charges
Sentenced to death for espionage
Executed in June 1953
Questionable if their actions warranted the death penalty

6. Spreading the Red Scare
Fear of Communism spreads beyond the federal government
Local government
Universities
Unions
Businesses
Churches
Loyalty oaths
People fired or expelled for not cooperating

7. McCarthyism Wisconsin senator, Joseph R. McCarthy (R)
Claimed to have list of 205 Communists in the State Department
Wild accusations of disloyalty, conspiracy, and Communist activities against the US
Witch hunts against government officials
Flimsy evidence
Irrational fears
Damaged reputations
Suspicion= guilt
Reckless accusations discredit McCarthy
Lost power to promote fear

8. Arms Race and the Bomb Scare
Build-up of weapons on both sides
1945, US uses atomic bomb in Japan
1949, USSR successfully tests atomic weapons
1952, US tests more powerful Hydrogen Bomb
1953, USSR tests H-Bomb
Weapons continue to increase in strength and number
Increases American fears of surprise nuclear attack and Communism
Duck and Cover- illusion of safety
Fallout Shelters- protect from explosion and radiation