1. The Cold War at Home

2. A. Fear of Communism – the Red Scare

3. Paranoia Sets in… Fear of Communism spread thru the U.S. after WWII
Result of:
Economic Recession
Fear of Soviet Expansion
Fear of spies & nuclear
warfare
Politicians

4. B. The Government Responds

5. Smith Act (1940)
Made it illegal to advocate the overthrow of the U.S. government
Used to convict members of the Communist Party
11 in NY were sent to jail

6. House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
Investigative Committee in the HOR
Investigated Communist influence in the United States
Focused on the film industry – believed there was propaganda in movies

7. Blacklisting Hollywood Ten – refused to cooperate with the HUAC
Industry responded by blacklisting 250 people

8. Truman’s Loyalty Program
Executive Order 9835: March 1947
Designed to root out Communism from Federal Departments
Investigate 3 million employees
Employers began demanded loyalty oaths

9. McCarran Internal Security Bill (1950)
Communist organizations had to register & activities were regulated
Subversive activities could result in the de-naturalization of citizens
Vetoed by Truman – Congress over-rode
Later overturned by the SC

10. C. The Spies

11. Alger Hiss Accused by Whittaker Chambers of spying
Richard Nixon & HUAC investigate
He is convicted of perjury in 1948
Sentenced to 5 years in prison

12. Julius & Ethel Rosenberg
American Communists
Accused of supplying secrets
of the atomic bomb to the
Soviets
Convicted spy Klaus Fuchs
accused them
Convicted in 1951
Executed in 1953

13. D. McCarthyism

14. Joseph McCarthy
Feb 20, 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy says he had the name of 205 Communists in the State Department
"I have here in my hand a list of 205—a list of names that were made known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping policy in the State Department."

15. Tydings Committee Senate Committee investigations into accusations
Began a 4 year long witch hunt for communists
Red-Baiting: people began accusing others of being Communists

16. Downfall of McCarthy
Americans lived in a state of fear that they would be accused and would go on trial
McCarthy’s downfall came when he accused the U.S. Army of supporting communism

17. E. Living with Fear

18. Americans not only feared Communism at home, but also an attack from the Soviet Union
Sputnik caused these fears to grow
Many families built bomb shelters in their backyards
Schools held Duck
and Cover drills

19. Interstate Highway Act (1956)
Cities seen as targets of nuclear age
Highways designed to evacuate cities & move the military in
90% of the cost paid by the federal government
Over 41,000 miles created
Cost $32 billion