THE 2nd RED SCARE & McCARTHYISM CHAPTER 26, SECTION 3

FEAR OF COMMUNISM ORIGINS: ORIGINS: –World War I Era / Russian Revolution –1917 Bolshevik Revolution –The creation of the “Comintern”  Define: “Comintern”: –Soviet-led organization with the stated purpose of cultivating and spreading communism internationally –Result? THE “RED SCARE” OF 1917  Define: “The Red Scare”: –Period following Bolshevik Revolution during which American society grew fearful of communist influence in the US

FEAR OF COMMUNISM ORIGINS (CONT’D.) 1930’s: DEPRESSION-ERA U.S.: Some support for the USSR and communism develops in U.S. due to Depression-related troubles (high unemployment, business & banking failures, etc.). Some Americans lose confidence in Capitalism. FDR’s NEW DEAL remedies some of this.

WORLD WAR II CONCERNS World War II causes mixed feelings World War II causes mixed feelings –WHY?  USSR IS US ALLY; THEY’RE NEEDED TO DEFEAT GERMANY  BUT…THEY ARE KNOWN TO STILL BE A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY & CAPITALISM  EXAMPLE? –BY 1945, COMMUNIST PARTY MEMBERSHIP IN U.S. REACHES 80,000 –GOV’T KNOWS USSR IS TRYING TO STEAL ATOMIC SECRETS TRUMAN KNOWS US GOV’T. HAS TO DEAL WITH THE NEW SOVIET THREAT. TRUMAN KNOWS US GOV’T. HAS TO DEAL WITH THE NEW SOVIET THREAT. –RESULT?  1947: GOV’T ESTABLISHES “LOYALTY REVIEW BOARD”  PURPOSE? TO INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE COMMUNIST SYMPATHIZERS & ORGANIZATIONS

ANTI-COMMUNIST ACTIONS ANTI-COMMUNIST ACTIONS 1947: HOUSE COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES (H.U.A.C.) BEGINS HOLLYWOOD INVESTIGATIONS: 1947: HOUSE COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES (H.U.A.C.) BEGINS HOLLYWOOD INVESTIGATIONS: –PURPOSE? TO INVESTIGATE ANY POTENTIAL COMMUNIST INFILTRATION INTO U.S. SOCIETY –HOLLYWOOD INVESTIGATIONS: WHY?  Pro-Soviet films had been produced during WW II  Some communist sympathizers did work / act in Hollywood –RESULTS? –The “HOLLYWOOD TEN” ARE INVESTIGATED / PROSECTUED, SENTENCED TO PRISON TERMS.  WHO? –10 HOLLYWOOD INDUSTRY ACTORS / EXECUTIVES WHO WOULDN’T COOPERATE WITH INVESTIGATIONS –WHY? THEY BELIVED INVESTIGATIONS WERE UNCONSTITUTIONAL –HOLLYWOOD “BLACKLISTS” ARE CREATED  DEFINE: –LISTS OF ACTORS, WRITERS, ETC. WHO ARE CONDEMNED FOR SUPPOSEDLY HAVING A COMMUNIST BACKGROUND

THE HOLLYWOOD TEN & LAWYERS

OTHER ANTI-COMMUNIST ACTIONS 1950: McCARRAN INTERNAL SECURITY BILL ( McCARRAN ACT) 1950: McCARRAN INTERNAL SECURITY BILL ( McCARRAN ACT) –DID WHAT?  IT IS UNLAWFUL TO PLAN ANY ACTION THAT MIGHT LEAD TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TOTALITARIAN STATE INSIDE THE U.S. –TRUMAN VETOES THE BILL ON CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS –CONGRESS OVERRIDES (OUTVOTES) THE VETO

SPY CASES 1948: ALGER HISS CASE 1948: ALGER HISS CASE –OTHERS INVOLVED IN CASE:  WHITTAKER CHAMBERS  RICHARD M. NIXON –RESULT? HISS CONVICTED OF PERJURY, NOT ESPIONAGE 1950: THE ROSENBERG CASE 1950: THE ROSENBERG CASE –ACCUSED OF PASSING ATOMIC SECRETS TO SOVIETS –CONVICTED, SENTENCED TO DEATH

Whittaker Chambers

ALGER HISS GIVING TESTIMONY

JULIUS & ETHEL ROSENBERG

McCARTHYISM WHO? WHO? –SENATOR JOSEPH P. McCARTHY, R.,WISC. –1950: MINOR FIGURE IN CONGRESS –NEEDS AN ISSUE TO HELP IN 1952 RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN DOES WHAT? DOES WHAT? –USES ANTI-COMMUNIST FEAR AS A METHOD TO GAIN POPULARITY –ACCUSES OTHER GOV’T. WORKERS, ESPECIALLY INSIDE THE STATE DEPARTMENT, OF COMMUNIST SYMPATHY, EPSIONAGE, ETC. –ORGANIZES SENATE HEARINGS TO INVESTIGATE COMMUNIST INFILTRATION INTO US GOV’T. RESULT? RESULT? –MANY INNOCENT PEOPLE SMEARED, CAREERS RUINED –McCARTHY EVENTAULLY CONDEMNED BY SENATE WHEN INVESTIGATIONS ACCUSE THE US ARMY OF BEING TOO RPO- COMMUNIST –1957: McCARTHTY DIES OF ALCOHOLISM-RELATED ILLNESSES

SEN. JOSEPH McCARTHY

ANTI- Mc CARTHY CARTOON, 1953