1. The Second Red Scare
Ch 15 sec 3

2. I. Growing Fear of Communism
In 1949, the U.S. found out that the Soviets had successfully tested a nuclear bomb. The advantage that the U.S. had was now gone. The country became worried again about the threat from the U.S.S.R.
Days after that, Communists took over China. The Nationalist government fled to the island of Taiwan, and the U.S. immediately recognized Taiwan as an independent country.

3. I. Growing Fear of Communism
Mao Zedong had led the Communists in China against the Nationalists, and now he was in charge.
People in the U.S. did not know what to expect from Chinese communism, if it was similar to the Soviet Union or not. Either way, China was now a threat to the United States.

4. II. Fighting the Spread of Communism at Home
In the 1930’s the House of Representatives had established a committee to investigate radical groups in the U.S. called the House Un-American Activities Committee.
Over time, they focused their investigations solely on communists, and after WW2 they became even more active.

5. II. Fighting the Spread of Communism at Home
In 1947 they looked at the film industry in Hollywood, and collected names of writers and directors who may have had communist connections.
Ten people were called to testify before the committee, but they refused to answer questions and were found guilty of contempt and put in jail for a year.

6. II. Fighting the Spread of Communism at Home
Others saw their treatment and began to give names of people that could be communist. People who refused to cooperate were put on a blacklist and were not allowed to work in the industry.
Truman also had federal workers investigated for possible communist connections. Over 3 million workers were investigated, but only about 200 were judged to be disloyal.

7. II. Fighting the Spread of Communism at Home
Even though some people felt that the government was violating people’s rights to freedom of speech, the investigations continued.
Two major laws, the Smith Act and the McCarran Act, limited Communist party members in the U.S. from freely practicing and professing their political views.

8. II. Fighting the Spread of Communism at Home
Spy cases in the 40’s added to the fear of communist take over in America. Alger Hiss was accused of placing communists in government positions.
Klaus Fuchs and the Rosenbergs were convicted of giving atomic secrets to the Soviet Union. The Rosenbergs received the death penalty and Fuchs received 14 years in prison.

9. III. Senator Joseph McCarthy
Joseph McCarthy was a senator who made it his personal goal to root out communism in America. He claimed to have the names of over 200 people in the State Department who were Communists.
Although he never produced the names and an investigation found no evidence of any Communists in the State Department, many people in America believed his accusations.

10. III. Senator Joseph McCarthy
When the Soviet Union got the bomb, and then China fell, it seemed to people that McCarthy was right. He became the country’s leading Communist fighter.
He started making accusations of people without any evidence, and others in the government dismissed him, including the president.

11. III. Senator Joseph McCarthy
But the country was all for getting rid of Communists. The fear spread, and people who did not cooperate with investigations were labeled as communist supporters.
McCarthy also began to make crazier claims. He said that the Army was protecting Communists. He held televised hearings which were supported at first, but people began to view his methods as unfair.

12. III. Senator Joseph McCarthy
Eventually McCarthy and his extreme views would fade, and people would not feel the need to hunt down and eliminate Communists everywhere.
There still was a fear of Communism in the country, but not the hysteria that hit during the 40’s and 50’s.

13. In your notebooks
Do you think that political views that go against the current government should be protected by the Constitution? Give reasons for your answer. Half-page response.