Cold War & McCarthyism  The international system had changed from a multi-polar focus of Europe (France, England, Germany) and Japan to a bi-polar one rotating around the Soviet Union and the United States  The main question in light of all these events was whether or not they made the Cold War and ensuing anti-communist sentiments inevitable

Atlantic Charter & NATO Atlantic Charter drawn up in 1941 Atlantic Charter drawn up in 1941 Stressed cooperation between all nations Stressed cooperation between all nations Basis for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Basis for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Core provision of the North Atlantic Treaty was Article V Core provision of the North Atlantic Treaty was Article V

Fear of Marxism

Competing Visions of Foreign Policy 1) NATO vs. the Warsaw Plan 2) “Iron Curtain” vs. the Open Door 3) Marshall Plan vs. Molotov Plan *** What one side would do to protect itself, “the other” would take as a threat and use it as an excuse to ramp up its own defenses

Truman & the Domino Effect Truman believed we needed to contain the communist threat Truman believed we needed to contain the communist threat The West was trying to learn from its errors after WWI The West was trying to learn from its errors after WWI We would stop the “domino effect” of communism by helping a country before the Soviets We would stop the “domino effect” of communism by helping a country before the Soviets

USA vs. USSR Does it boil down to a “he said-she said”? Does it boil down to a “he said-she said”? Balance of superpowers vs. the SOLE power Balance of superpowers vs. the SOLE power Crass power grabbing vs. imperialism Crass power grabbing vs. imperialism Individual freedom vs. state security Individual freedom vs. state security

Psychological Effects In Europe, Germans went from exterminating Jews to being given Hershey bars by African-American GIs In Europe, Germans went from exterminating Jews to being given Hershey bars by African-American GIs On our homefront, the negative effects of the Cold War created a culture of fear and conformity On our homefront, the negative effects of the Cold War created a culture of fear and conformity What scared Americans about communism was we did not know where to look for it What scared Americans about communism was we did not know where to look for it

American Communists They were idealistic, shrewd, foolish, rigid, brave, contentious, weak – in short, human They were idealistic, shrewd, foolish, rigid, brave, contentious, weak – in short, human They were not innocent victims They were not innocent victims They chose to ignore what Stalin was doing in Russia because they believed in the political system They chose to ignore what Stalin was doing in Russia because they believed in the political system

Anti-Communist Movement Roots of American anti-communism can be found in our nation’s counter- subversive tradition Roots of American anti-communism can be found in our nation’s counter- subversive tradition Irrationality and xenophobia could be exploited to direct hostility against opponents of choice Irrationality and xenophobia could be exploited to direct hostility against opponents of choice

Accusers & the Accused ELIZABETH BENTLEY WHITAKER CHAMBERS ALGER HISS HARRY DEXTER WHITE

Julius & Ethel Rosenberg A young machinist assigned to Los Alamos David Greenglass A young machinist assigned to Los Alamos David Greenglass His brother-in-law Julius Rosenberg was running a spy ring His brother-in-law Julius Rosenberg was running a spy ring FBI arrested Ethel to try and convince Julius to give up his contacts FBI arrested Ethel to try and convince Julius to give up his contacts Executed on 6/19/53 Executed on 6/19/53

Blacklisting Good PR demanded dismissal of anyone suspected to be a communist or even remotely controversial Good PR demanded dismissal of anyone suspected to be a communist or even remotely controversial Hollywood 10 refused to “name names” Hollywood 10 refused to “name names” African-Americans and other entertainers wound up in “Red Channels” African-Americans and other entertainers wound up in “Red Channels”

Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-Wisc) February 9, 1950 – Gives names in a Wheeling, WV, speech February 9, 1950 – Gives names in a Wheeling, WV, speech McCarthy had no evidence that any of the people he referred to were communists McCarthy had no evidence that any of the people he referred to were communists 1954 – Army hearings reveal McCarthy’s tactics to the public 1954 – Army hearings reveal McCarthy’s tactics to the public

Legacy of McCarthyism  Because political activities could get you in trouble, prudent folk avoided them  To the despair of intellectuals, middle- class Americans became social conformists  Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas called it “the black silence of fear”  Was McCarthyism to blame for all of this?