1. DO NOW – Read the following and then answer the question
“Resolved, that the Speaker of the House of Representatives be, and he is hereby, authorized to appoint a special committee to be composed of seven members for the purpose of conducting an investigation of (1) the extent, character, and object of un-American propaganda activities in the United States, (2) the diffusion within the United States of subversives and un-American propaganda that is instigated from foreign countries or of a domestic origin and attacks the principle of the form of government as guaranteed by the Constitution, and (3) all other questions in relation thereto that would aid Congress in any necessary remedial legislation.”
What sort of activities do you consider “un-American”?

2. HUAC

3. Loyalty Review Board
Anti-Communist Republicans accuse Truman of being “soft on communism”  Truman issues executive order  Federal Employee Loyalty Program/Loyalty Review Board
LRB: purpose was to investigate government employees and dismiss those that were found to be disloyal to U.S. gov.
: LRB investigated 3.2 mil employees
Led to other organizations that investigated communist influence inside and outside the gov

4. House Un-American Activities Committee
House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
Became famous when it began to investigate communist influence in the movie industry
Sneaking propaganda into films
September 1947, 43 “witnesses” were subpoenaed
Hollywood Ten > did not cooperate because they believed the investigations were unconstitutional > they were sent to prison
Blacklist: list of people who they condemned for having a Communist background (500 actors, writers, producers and directors)
McCarran Internal Security Act > made it unlawful to plan any action that might lead to the establishment of a totalitarian dictatorship in the U.S.

5. Cases of Espionage 1949 American’s learned of a Soviet Atomic bomb
Alger Hiss
The Rosenbergs
Former communist Whittaker Chambers accused Alger Hiss of spying for the Soviet Union
Hiss charged with espionage  convicted of perjury  jailed
1949 American’s learned of a Soviet Atomic bomb
Klaus Fuchs admitted to giving Soviets info
Ethel & Julian Rosenberg implicated
Plead 5th Amend.  claimed persecution for being Jewish
Found guilty & sentenced to death
Appealed to Supreme Court
Executed June 1953

6. McCarthy Era
Senator Joseph McCarthy > Republican (WI) > Anti- communist activist
McCarthy’s Tactics:
McCarthyism: unsupported accusations (unfair tactic of accusing people of disloyalty w/o evidence)
Charged the democratic party of treason
Did most of his “name calling” in the senate where he had legal immunity
Never produced a document or name in support
Downfall: accused U. S. Army >lead to televised senate investigation > lost public support > senate condemned him

7. Background on huac testimonies
Today’s Activity - Read through the different HUAC interviews and answer questions
Background on huac testimonies
In 1947, Ronald Reagan was an actor and president of the Screen Actors Guild. His active involvement in politics was just beginning, as his beliefs began shifting from liberal to conservative. Throughout out the 1940s he was active in anti-communist movements, which led him into the political arena.
Paul Robeson was an American bass singer and actor who became involved with the Civil Rights Movement. At an international student peace conference held in Paris on April 20, 1949, Paul Robeson allegedly made a speech to the effect that American blacks would not support the United States in a war with the Soviet Union, due to continued second-class citizen status under United States law.
Dalton Trumbo was an American screenwriter and novelist, who scripted films including Roman Holiday, Exodus, Spartacus, and Thirty Second Over Tokyo. One of the Hollywood Ten , he refused to testify before HUAC in 1947 during the committee's investigation of Communist influences in the motion picture industry. He was subsequently blacklisted. . He continued working clandestinely, producing work under other authors' names.