BELLWORK: 3/1 What is the Red Scare? Make a prediction How did the Red Scare impact domestic policy? THINKER: Based on the Cold War Crises we’ve studied so far (Korea, Taiwan, Cuba, Guatemala), it’s clear that the fear of the Domino Theory led to U.S. involvement. Why do you think the U.S. was so afraid of communism?
Communism as a Global Force Communism has always had a focus on internationalism “Workers of the world, unite!” Ultimate goal of communism is global revolution
Cold War Red Scare Domestic Policies, McCarthyism, Witch Hunts, Espionage & impact on Cold War
House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) Formed in 1938 Focused on the investigation of accused communists or “comsymps” In 1947, HUAC led the investigations of the “Hollywood 10”
The Hollywood 10 Group of 10 Hollywood writers, directors, actors investigated by HUAC for involvement in the Communist party On trial, pleaded the 5th Amendment, but were charged with contempt of Congress All were blacklisted In total, 158 people were blacklisted from the film industry
Other Anti-Communist Policies McCarran Act: 1950 Loyalty Program: 1947 Required members of the Communist party to register with the Attorney General, and the party had to provide lists of their members. Required members of the government to take an oath of loyalty Investigated over 3 million government employees & 300 were dismissed as security risks
Joseph McCarthy Republican Senator from WI, served 1947-1957 McCarthyism: the practice of making unfair allegations or using unfair investigative techniques, in order to restrict dissent or political criticism. Led to the Second Red Scare (1950-1956): characterized by political repression against communists, as censorship, fear campaigns and a “witch hunt”
Context of McCarthyism During the Red Scare, U.S. foreign policy setbacks: Aug 1949: First Soviet atomic bomb test Dec 1949: PRC wins! Americans demanded answers!
McCarthyism & the FBI Supported by the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover (founder) Targets were government employees, the entertainment industry, educators & union activists Based off of suspicion – lack of evidence led to aggressive investigations/questioning
McCarthy’s Tactics Can you trust your neighbor? McCarthy used little to no evidence, grossly overrepresented KGB activity “Show Trials” Unwarranted subpoenas Media coverage public shaming!
End of McCarthyism Army-McCarthy Trials April 1954 - June 1954 McCarthy accused members of the military as communist First televised court trial Showed his radicalism, led to a decline in popularity
McCarthy Disgraced “Have you no sense of decency, Sir?” (Joseph Welsh; U.S. Army Chief Counsel) McCarthy was unable to successfully convict any Soviet agents Reduced support for US led counter intelligence Ultimately prevented serious public inquiry into Soviet espionage Unintentionally sabotaged his own goals
What do YOU think??? Do you think there was a chance communism could spread into the U.S.? Was there cause for concern? Were American fears legitimate? Or was McCarthy just power-hungry?
Extent of Soviet Espionage Soviet assets in the US Post-USSR: Soviet documents were declassified, showing Soviet espionage The Venona Project (1943-1980; declassified in 1995) counter intelligence operation initiated by the Army’s Signal Intelligence Agency (later became the NSA) Focused on the decryption of Soviet intelligence cables Government knew of Soviet assets in the U.S.
Office of Strategic Services (OSS) WWII-era intelligence and covert operations agency Disbanded after the war, many agents went to the newly formed CIA or State Department By the end of the war, ~ 20 members of the OSS were paid KGB agents (including a station chief)
Klaus Fuchs German atomic scientist who worked on the Manhattan Project Jan, 1950 confesses to being a Soviet spy Forwarded information to KGB concerning Uranium processing for an atomic weapon Information sent cost the US 2 years of research and $400 million
Theodore Hall Worked on Manhattan Project Forwarded plans for “Fat Man” weapon and plutonium enrichment to USSR Although he never confessed, it is on record that he gave secrets to USSR to avert American monopoly on nuclear weapons
Julius & Ethel Rosenberg Accused of being spies for the Soviet Union and releasing information about the atomic bomb Found guilty of espionage Executed June 19, 1953 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_hT32LAZvg
Harry Dexter White Senior US Treasury Dept. official Helped set financial policy towards Allies in WWII, heavily involved in Bretton Woods conference after the war Refused $200 million loan to Nationalist China in 1943
Elizabeth Bentley Private citizen who was involved in a number of spy rings within the US Eventually went to the FBI in 1945, revealing the identities of roughly 80 Soviet spies
Big Takeaways Red Scare - definitive point where US foreign security interests had a noticeable impact on domestic policy People are often willing to sacrifice rights in time of crisis The USSR had a well entrenched espionage operation within the US McCarthy unable to convict any agents One of the final periods of vastly popular anti-communist sentiment in US Demagoguery is often an easy way to seize political fame
Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFHhqlfypOo
Spies in the Cold War http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjcaR9lGr2Y#aid=P-u6cti2ZNI