The Cold War and American Society The Red Scare & McCarthyism

Are we losing the Cold War? The Red Scare Worsens The S.U. tests nuclear weapons China falls to Communism North Korea still Communist Known spies in the U.S. Are we losing the Cold War?

The Red Scare Fearing subversive activity, the government tried to root out Communists in government, Hollywood, and labor unions, while Americans learned to live with the threat of nuclear attack. Key Terms Subversion: effort to secretly weaken a society and overthrow its government Blacklist: a refusal to hire Censure: senate vote formally disapproving a member’s actions

The Red Scare 1945 - Igor Gouzenko defected against the S.U. admitted to spying trying to obtain information on the atomic bomb A general fear of Communist Subversion developed

The Red Scare The Loyalty Review Program Established by President Truman 6 million federal employees were screened for their loyalty What types of activities were suspicious? reading certain books belonging to select groups traveling overseas viewing foreign films 14,000 employees faced scrutiny 212 employees fired for questionable loyalty How do you think Americans responded? Created more panic in Americans

The McCarran Act

The McCarran Act Targeted Communist Organizations Must publish records of meetings Banned Communist passports / travel abroad Comm. could be jailed if Nat’l Emergency arose Checks & Balances at Work! Congress created the act President vetoed the act Congress overrode the veto Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional Why? Gov’t cannot restrict our political freedoms It tried to remove communism, which is against freedoms, by taking away the freedom to be communist.

HUAC – Americans on Trial House Un-American Activities Committee Gov’t committee formed to investigate Communist and Fascist activities in the United States FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover expanded HUAC Hold public hearings on Comm. Subversion Place FBI agents in suspicious groups Wiretap phones Just a side note – this is not on your guide!

HUAC – Americans on Trial House Un-American Activities Committee Hollywood goes on trial. Why? Comm. could easily reach millions through movies Ronald Regan testified there were Comm. in Hollywood Impact “Hollywood 10” Group of actors that refused to cooperate based on 1st Amendment Creation of the Blacklist – a refusal to hire Created even more distrust and fear

Union leaders required to take an anti-Communist oath The Red Scare Spreads Taft-Hartley Act Union leaders required to take an anti-Communist oath

McCarthyism Joseph R. McCarthy – WI Senator Had a fake list of U.S Gov’t Comm. members The list never even existed People followed his vague accusations Investigations turned into witch hunts This became known as McCarthyism Accusations riled so many, that people named others to clear themselves

McCarthyism Dies Out McCarthy investigates the U.S. Army Army’s lawyers fire back: “Have you left no sense of decency?” Americans agree Senate “censured” McCarthy Formal disproval, but he remained a senator He died a few years later

Literature Connection Written by Arthur Miller Called before HUAC to testify about suspicious use of U.S. Passports by various authors. He refused.

Atomic Culture One must be prepared to survive a nuclear attack Families and towns set up bomb shelters Schools and communities practiced “Duck & Cover” drills

Atomic Culture This diagram published in The Detroit News in 1952 showed how an air raid warning system set up by Michigan Bell Telephone would work. When an unidentified plane is spotted the information would be rushed to the Grand Rapids Filter Center They would relay the message to police posts. Police would then send out the alarm to various industries and public agencies via a flashing light on Michigan Bell switchboards. 

Atomic Culture This chart purported to show the various levels of radioactivity that could be expected following a widespread nuclear attack.

Atomic Culture This chart published in The Detroit News April 17, 1951, shows the hypothetical effects of a hypothetical nuclear attack on Detroit.