1. Chapter 18 Section 3 Notes The Cold War in the U.S. after WWII

2. Leadership afraid of Communism Spreading to U.S.
Who is most concerned?
People with the most to lose
Government
Business Owners
Media
Rich People
Why were they scared?
Became popular elsewhere
Eastern Europe
China
Korea
Did U.S. have “communists”?
Less than 100,000 members
Not a real threat
Still… a fear they would
“try something”

3. U.S. Gov. Takes Action Federal Employee Loyalty Program (1947)
Investigated govt. employees for “Communist ties”
If you were in 1 of 90 different organizations, you were fired.
Govt. did not need to show the evidence they had against you
Very little “real” impact
Around 3.2 million checked
Around 200 fired
Around 3,000 quit
1st Amendment

4. House Un-American Activities Committee
Ten refused to testify
House Un-American Activities Committee
U.S. Congress investigated movie industry for “Communist ties”
Had public hearings on TV featuring famous people
Argued Communist propaganda was intentionally put in some films
Some people questioned supported this
Ten refused to testify (Hollywood 10)
Sent to prison
Hollywood executives blacklisted other people
Wouldn’t give work to suspected Communists
Paul Robeson (actor, civil rights activist)

6. McCarran Act
Illegal for anyone to promote the establishment of a dictatorship in the U.S.
Truman vetoes it, but Congress overrides him.
“It’s ok, we’re hunting Communists!”

7. Communism on Trial 2 Major Cases

8. Alger Hiss Case High ranking U.S. govt. official
Accused of spying on U.S. for Soviets during WWII by a
Soviet spy in custody
Found guilty of perjury
means lying under oath… not spying
Richard Nixon
member of House of Reps
led push for his prosecution
Made him famous
VP about 4 years later
Eventually President

9. The Rosenberg Case
Married couple accused of passing information about the development of the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union from a German – born physicist (Klaus Fuchs) that worked on the bomb here in the U.S. during WWII
active in the American Communist party
Took the 5th Amendment at their trial.
Very little evidence against them
Found guilty of espionage and sentenced to death
Rosenberg’s 2 kids with Ethel’s
mother 8 months after their death

10. McCarthyism ( )
Panic started by (Republican) Senator Joseph McCarthy
Said Communists were taking over the govt.
Claimed to have over 200 names
No names ever given
Said Democrats allowed this to happen
Political! = intended to help Republicans
Works well for a while
Little evidence that anything was wrong
People bought into the idea though
A lot of interest by public and media
Ends after he accuses Communist
influence in the U.S. military
Investigation on TV made him look bad
Nobody found guilty, movement fizzles out

11. Anti Communist Propaganda during McCarthyism

12. McCarthyism’s Impact on the U.S.
39 states pass laws making it illegal to support the overthrow of the U.S. Govt.
Lots of local govts. do the same thing
these laws were later found unconstitutional
A bunch of govt. investigations of different areas
Reporters, Union Leaders, Scientists, Schools, etc…
Very few people found guilty
All this costs tax $
Causes and Effects
Copy Chart in Book