1. The Second Red Scare

2. The Growing Fear of Communism
Soviets detonate an atomic bomb
Communists win the civil war in China

3. House of Un-American Activities Committee
Created in the 1930s
Purpose was to investigate radical groups within the United States
Focused on threat of communism after the start of the Cold War
Most famous case: Hollywood Ten

4. Fighting Communism in the Government
Republicans claimed Communists were working
for the federal gov’t
Truman adopted a plan to investigate the loyalty
of federal employees
Few thousand resigned, and 200 judged disloyal

5. Laws Regarding Communism
Smith Act
Crime to call for the overthrow of the U.S. gov’t
Upheld by the Supreme Court
McCarran Internal Security Act
Communist groups had to register w/the gov’t
a special board was created to investigate all communist activity
Communists barred from entering the country
Truman vetoed, Congress overrode veto

6. Spy Cases
Alger Hiss (federal gov’t official) accused of working for the Soviets
Klaus Fuchs passed atomic bomb secrets to the Soviet Union
Ethel and Julius Rosenberg are executed for providing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union
Alger Hiss
Klaus Fuchs
Ethel and Julius Rosenberg

7. Senator Joseph McCarthy
Republican senator from Wisconsin
To get reelected, he decided to use fear of communism
Went on a rampage, announcing that the government was filled with ‘reds’
Made claims that he had inside knowledge and proof
McCarthy’s tactic of spreading fear became known as McCarthyism
Thousands of people fired nationwide
No evidence to support his claims
However, when he accused the army of having tons of communist subversives, he went to far
Censured by the Senate, died in disgrace