1. Chapter 26 – Section 3: The Cold War at Home
vs.

2. Communism: The Ultimate Disease
Many Americans become terrified of Communists
Communist ideology is like a disease
People didn’t seek proof
Wild accusations were made
Caused by the fall of Eastern Europe and China
At its pinnacle, the American Communist Party had 80,000 members

4. The Public Criticizes Truman
Truman is viewed as soft on Communism
Truman “gave away” Eastern Europe
Attacks come from the Republican party
In March of 1947, he responds
Federal Employee Loyalty Program
Loyalty Review Board
Purpose was to investigate federal employees

5. The Loyalty Review Board
Attorney General lists 91 subversive organizations
Between 1947 and million employees were investigated
Further review could occur before a board
27,000 full scale investigations
212 dismissals
2,900 more dismissed
Truman now uses anti-communist fervor to gain support for his money programs

7. Fear of Social Change
Communist fear lead to fear of changes in other aspects of society
Feared the changing of gender roles
Role of Women
The Civil Rights Movement was suspected of being Communist

8. House Un-American Activities Council
Had its roots in the Overman and Fish Committees
Investigated Germans, Bolsheviks, and Communists
Dies Committee in 1938 chaired by Martin Dies
Guilt by association
Used ex-members of organizations as snitches
They found 563 names on a leftist mailing list
An additional 1,000 were sympathetic to totalitarian regimes

9. HUAC Attacks Hollywood
Thought there was communist propaganda in movies
HUAC calls 43 witnesses in September of 1947
Most “friendly”
Ten “unfriendly”
Hollywood responds with a “blacklist”
Hollywood begins to pump out tons of anti-communist movies

13. The McCarran Act and Its Impact
Sought to punish communist ideas
Made it illegal to plan an overthrow
Required organizations to register with the AG
Americans could lose citizenship
Truman vetoes the McCarran Act
Congress passes the law over his veto
Kind of like the Patriot Act of the 1950s

14. Spies? In America? In 1945 the Amerasia is accused of spying
Editor pleads guilty
In 1948 Alger Hiss is accused of spying
Whittaker Chambers claims to have microfilm
They convict him on charges of perjury
Served 44 months in a federal prison
Declassified information points to his guilt

16. Other Spy Cases
In October of 1949, eleven leaders of the American Communist Party are convicted
In 1950 Judith Coplon is convicted
One of the first major convictions
Worked in the Justice Department
FBI figured out what she was going
Set her up using fake documents

17. The Rosenberg’s: A Spy Case that Rattles the Nation
Soviet Union detonates their “bomb” in September of 1949
Klaus Fuchs had been passing secrets to Soviets
Fuchs admits to giving away information
Implicates Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
Found guilty and sentenced to death
Executed by electric chair in June of 1953

19. Other Cold War Spy Cases
Aldrich Ames is convicted in 1994
Named American assets
Robert Hanssen pleads guilty in 2001
Sold out American spies
Neither received the death penalty

20. The Witch Hunt Begins Joseph McCarthy is a Wisconsin Senator
Not a very good one
Decides to play on fears in America
Starts to throw out wild accusations
In no way supported by fact
This comes to be known as McCarthyism
Accusing someone without proof

22. The Witch Hunt Begins February 9, 1950, Wheeling, West Virginia
Speech to Republican Women’s Club
Claims to have a piece of paper with names
Number of names varies
Distorts information to the Senate
Republicans don’t try and stop him
He now makes a grave mistake

23. McCarthy Accuses the Army
Accuses members of the Army
Results in nationally televised hearings
Bullies witnesses
Appears dishonest
McCarthy falls from favor after the hearings
McCarthy upsets everyone in four years
Dies of alcoholism three years later

24. Impact of McCarthyism Distrust in the people around you
McCarthyism is alive and well today
Instead of communism, we fear terrorism
We question the patriotism of people
We eliminate rights in the name of national security