1. McCarthyism: Reds in America

2. Loyalty Review Board  Truman’s response to Republican claims he was soft on communists  Board was to determine if any government employee was disloyal to the government  91 “subversive” groups listed – membership drew suspicion  3.2 million investigated – 212 dismissed – 2900 resigned  Felt civil rights violated  Never allowed to see the evidence about them

3. HUAC House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) – A congressional committee that investigated charges of communism inside and outside U.S. government agencies  Went after movie industry – claimed that they used propaganda (looked at films made during WW2 that were pro-Soviet)

4. Hollywood  Hollywood Ten – ten witnesses that refused to cooperate on grounds that the hearings were unconstitutional – they were sent to prison  Hollywood executives responded with a blacklist of those individuals that they deemed were communists  McCarran Internal Security Act – unlawful to plan any action that might lead to the establishment of a totalitarian dictatorship  Truman vetoes act that it is unconstitutional to punish men for their opinions  Congress enacted law over Truman’s veto

5. Spies Among Us – Alger Hiss  Former State Department official  Accused by Whittaker Chambers (former Communist spy) of spying for the Soviets  Chambers produced microfilm of government documents claimed to have been typed on Hiss’s typewriter

6. Spies Among Us – Alger Hiss  Statute of limitations up for espionage charge – instead convict him of perjury  Richard Nixon prosecuted Hiss  1990s Soviets released cables that confirmed Hiss’s guilt

7. Spies Among Us – The Rosenbergs Ethel and Julius  September 3, 1949 - Soviets explode atomic bomb though U.S. experts had said that the Soviets should still be 3-5 years behind  Fear that U.S. individuals were giving Soviets our secrets

8. Spies Among Us – The Rosenbergs Ethel and Julius  German-born physicist, Klaus Fuchs admits giving Soviets info on American atomic bomb  Implicated with Fuchs is Ethel & Julius Rosenberg, minor members of the American Communist Party

9. Spies Among Us – The Rosenbergs  When asked if they were communists the Rosenbergs plead the fifth amendment  Claimed they were being persecuted because they were Jewish and they held radical beliefs  They were found guilty of espionage & sentenced to death  Worldwide call for clemency that was denied  1 st Americans executed for espionage – electric chair

10. McCarthyism Joseph McCarthy  Ineffective Junior senator from Wisconsin  Needs issue to get reelected – Communism  Made continuous unsupported accusations of Communism - no substantiating evidence

11. McCarthyism Joseph McCarthy  Made all his claims in the Senate – immunity  Never produced a name but claimed to have at any time 50- 200 names  Blamed Democrats for “20 years of treason” – Republicans did not respond – want 1952 presidency

12. McCarthyism McCarthy’s Downfall  Senator Margaret Smith and 5 other senators take him on  McCarthy makes accusation against U.S. Army (1954)  Televised Senate investigation  His bullying tactics cause him to lose public support  Condemned by the Senate for improper conduct

13. McCarthyism McCarthy’s Legacy  By 1953 – 39 states pass laws making it illegal to promote the overthrow of the government  Laws were later deemed unconstitutional and overturned because of freedom of speech  Every industry was investigated for communist activity