Chapter 25 Section 3 The Cold War Begins Riddlebarger The Second Red Scare “Beware, commies, spies, traitors, and foreign agents! Captain America, with all loyal, free men behind him, is looking for you!” Chapter 25 Section 3 The Cold War Begins Riddlebarger

“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” - Albert Einstein

Growing Fear of Communism Post-WW2 years are a tense time in America. 2 events increase anxiety: Soviets develop own atomic bomb China becomes Communist

Soviet Atomic Weapons August 1949: Soviets detonate an atomic weapon shock to U.S. strengthen our military

Threat of Communist China Soviet a-bomb >>> China becomes Communist People’s Republic of China is born.

Red China Nationalist government Chiang Kai-Shek Chinese Communists Mao Zedong additional threat to U.S.?

Spread of Communism

Fighting the Spread of Communism at Home Events of 1949 (China, Soviet A-bomb) feed strong anti-Communist feelings in USA. Communist influence in U.S. government? Efforts underway to root out disloyal people. Herb Block

Investigating Communism HUAC Hollywood 1947 Hollywood Ten

Blacklisted Impact on Hollywood blacklisted

100 Things You Should Know About Communism HUAC distributes pamphlets alerting people to communism. Question: Where can they be found? Answer: Everywhere

Truman and Loyalty Fear & impact on politics Truman under pressure Republican accusations. Truman response

Smith Act 1940’s law to fight Communism Impact Supreme Court ruling revision

McCarran Act 1950- further action to fight communism McCarran Act Truman veto it “would delight Communists” by making “a mockery of the Bill of Rights & of our claims to stand for freedom in the world.” Congress response

Spy Cases Communist fears fuel spy cases Alger Hiss Richard Nixon Who is he? Pumpkin Papers Whitaker Chambers Richard Nixon Conviction

The Rosenbergs Ethel & Julius Rosenberg convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage Case questions Executed in 1953

Senator Joseph McCarthy

Rise of McCarthyism Senator McCarthy claims Public reaction evidence Explains? evidence

McCarthyism Reputation Further charges McCarthyism What if you complained? McCarthyism

McCarthy’s Fall Increasingly charges. Republicans -1953. Army- 1954 Televised hearings.

“Those of us who shout the loudest about Americanism in making character assassinations are all to frequently those who…ignore some of the basic principles of Americanism: The right to criticize. The right to hold unpopular beliefs. The right to protest. The right to independent thought…Freedom of speech…has been so abused by some that it is not exercised by others.” Senator Margaret Chase Smith Declaration of Conscience, June 1, 1950

Honors Assessment Write 1-2 paragraphs answering the following: What was Venona and how was it used to identify Soviet spies in America? Why did the FBI choose to keep Venona classified and do you think this was a wise decision? Why were the Rosenberg’s convicted of espionage? Do you believe the verdict was just? Why or why not? Assuming they were guilty, do you think they deserved the death penalty? Why was Soviet espionage such an important issue in the late 1940’s & early 50’s?

Tests done mainly in rural Nevada

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