Chapter 26.3-.4

Fear of Communism Spreads Red Scare (#2) March 1947, Federal Employee Loyalty Program Loyalty review board, are you loyal to government or not Found 91 “subversives” From 1947-1951 investigate 3.2 million, dismiss 212 as security risks 2,900 resign b/c don’t want to be investigated or in protest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWeZ5SKXvj8&list=PLb79l658DLrGUKjh76zU88o6pKK5Ahm5n

House Un-American Activities Committee HUAC Created to find communists both inside and outside government 1st investigated Hollywood (communists sneaking propaganda in films) Subpoena 43 witnesses, 10 refuse to show up “Hollywood Ten” Were sent to prison for refusing to answer questions Result of investigation was blacklisting of 500 people McCarran Internal Security Act: makes it unlawful to plan any action that might lead to the establishment of a dictatorship in the US https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taancRcLQ8o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJzV6-wJ3SQ

Alger Hiss Case 1948 former Communist spy, Whittaker Chambers accuses Alger Hiss of spying for USSR Produces microfilm of government documents that he claimed had been typed by Hiss (“Pumpkin Papers”) Statute of limitations had passed but was convicted of perjury and sent to prison Hiss claimed he was innocent and papers were forged **Documents from USSR in 1990s seem to prove Hiss’s guilt**

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Sept 3, 1949, US learns USSR has an atomic bomb, able to make it faster than Americans had thought (very paranoid now) 1950- German physicist Klaus Fuchs admits to giving USSR information on US’s atomic bomb (implicates the Rosenbergs, known Communists) Says that Ethel Rosenberg’s brother gave information about bomb to Julius who passed it to the USSR Charged with espionage, plead 5th amendment in court, say being targeted because of their political and religious beliefs, found guilty, sentenced to death. Most thought they were innocent, case went to Supreme Court who upholds the decision, and they are electrocuted in 1953 **information later proves that Julius was guilty and Ethel most likely innocent of any crime**

McCarthyism Most famous anti-communist activist, Joseph McCarthy (Rep from Wis) Had reputation as being an ineffective Senator, needs an issue to win re-election picks Communism in US (1952)Claims to have a list of hundreds of Communists inside US government (never actually produces one name) 1954 makes accusations against communist in US Army, has publicly televised trial, seen as a bully with no proof, and really discredited Modern day witch hunt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF_Dup_Mbv0

Causes of McCarthyism Soviets successfully establish Communist regimes in Eastern Europe after WWII Soviets develop the atomic bomb more quickly than expected Korean War ends in a stalemate Republicans gain popularity by accusing Truman and the Democrats of being soft on Communism

Effects of McCarthyism Millions of Americans are forced to take loyalty oaths and undergo loyalty investigations Activism by labor unions goes into decline Many people are afraid to speak out on public issues Anti-Communism continues to drive US foreign policy

H-Bomb and Brinkmanship Sec 4 Nov 1, 1952 US develops H-Bomb (67x’s more powerful than A-Bomb) Dwight D. Eisenhower is president in 1950’s and supports any means necessary to prevent communism Called Brinkmanship: willingness of US to go all out (even use nukes) to stop communism

A secret document, published in declassified form for the first time by the Guardian today, reveals that the US Air Force came dramatically close to detonating an atom bomb over North Carolina that would have been 260 times more powerful than the device that devastated Hiroshima. The document, obtained by the investigative journalist Eric Schlosser under the Freedom of Information Act, gives the first conclusive evidence that the US was narrowly spared a disaster of monumental proportions when two Mark 39 hydrogen bombs were accidentally dropped over Goldsboro, North Carolina on 23 January 1961 STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP

The CIA Central Intelligence Agency Uses spies to gather info about other countries Also carries out secret missions to weaken or overthrow those governments the US doesn’t like

CIA in Middle East First actions of CIA take place in Middle East 1951 Iran’s leader, Mohammad Mossadegh, has gov’t take control of their oil fields and businesses (no more private ownership, used to be GB that had control) GB protests by no longer buying oil from Iran US is afraid that USSR will help Iran out with $, so US gives millions of $$ to anti-Mossadegh supporters. This allows a new leader to come to power, one who is controlled by the US The new leader, the Shah of Iran, gives oil and business control back to private companies (mostly owned by Westerners)

Warsaw, Geneva, Eisenhower Doctrine USSR and its posse form Warsaw Pact, their answer to NATO 1955, US and USSR meet in Geneva, Switzerland and propose peace and freedom of the skies Eisenhower Doctrine: US would defend Middle East against any communist attack (result of Suez War)

Suez War 1955, GB and US agree to help Egypt build a dam (Aswan) on the Nile River But leader of Egypt, Gamal Abdel-Nassar tries to get aid from USSR too and plays US and USSR against each other 1956, the US is mad says no money for Egypt, Egypt responds and says we can’t use the Suez Canal (waterway, was owned by GB and France) GB and France MAD! GB and France start to go to war with Egypt, US and UN step in and stop it Egypt gets to keep control of canal but everyone can use it.

USSR and US 1953, Stalin dies and Nikita Kruschev takes over USSR (US and USSR still don’t like each other) Oct 4, 1957 USSR launches Sputnik (first satellite) US FREAKS OUT and Space Race starts, change in education in US to focus on Science and Math

U-2 Incident US had been flying secret spying missions over USSR, even though promised not to do so May 1, 1960 US U-2 spy plane shot down over USSR air space US first claims not ours and didn’t know about it but later admit that we do USSR demand apology and hurts any peace efforts