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Cold War Conflicts The Cold War at Home Fear of Communism • Concern for security of the United States against communism • About 100,000 Americans claimed membership to communist party during World War II • Fear loyalty to Soviet Union and communism first Loyalty Review Board • Strongly anti-Communist Republicans started to accuse Truman of being soft on communism • March 1947, Truman issued an executive order setting up the Federal Employee Loyalty Program and the Loyalty Review Board – Investigate government employees – Dismiss those disloyal – From 1947-51 The loyalty boards investigated 3.2 million employees and dismissed 212 – 2900 resigned because they didn’t want to be investigated; violation of rights – Individuals under investigation not allowed to see evidence Loyalty Review Board The House Un-American Activities Committee • HUAC first made headlines when they investigated the movie industry • Committee believed Communists were sneaking propaganda into films • Subpoenaed 43 witness from the Hollywood film industry • Many were cooperative; 10 were not • Hollywood Ten: ten men who refused to testify because they believed the hearings were unconstitutional • Sent to prison Hollywood Ten continued… • In response to the hearings, Hollywood executives instituted a blacklist of people who they condemned for having a communist background • Approximately 500 actors, writers, producers and directors blacklisted; careers ruined Hollywood Ten continued… The McCarran Act • Congress did not think the Loyalty Review Board went far enough • McCarran International Security Act – Unlawful to plan any action that might lead to the establishment of a totalitarian dictatorship in the United States – Vetoed by Truman • “In a free country, we punish men for the crimes they commit, but never for the opinions they have.” The McCarran Act continued.. Spy Cases • Alger Hiss – 1948 Former communist spy, Whitaker Chambers, accused Alger Hiss of spying for the Soviets – Chambers produced microfilm of gov’t documents typed on Hiss’ typewriter – Sent to jail (perjury) – Nixon Spy Cases continued… • The Rosenbergs – In September 1949, Americans had learned the Soviets had exploded an atomic bomb – People wandered if Communist supporters in the US leaked the secret – Physicist Klaus Fuchs admitted giving the Soviets information and implicated Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Spy Cases continued… • Rosenbergs denied the charges • They had been minor activists in the American Communist Party • Plead the Fifth Amendment – Believed they were prosecuted because they were Jewish and had radical beliefs – Media influence • Death sentence (electric chair) • First Americans executed for espionage The Rosenbergs McCarthy’s Witch Hunt • Senator Joseph McCarthy: Republican from Wisconsin • Reputation for being an ineffective legislator • Needed a winning issue for reelection • Charged the Communists were taking over government McCarthy’s Tactics • McCarthyism: making attacks on suspected Communists in the early 1950s – Now, term is used to refer to unfair tactic of accusing people of disloyalty without providing evidence • Claimed to have names of Communists in government (never named one); Made one unsupported accusation, after another • Charged the Democrats were guilty of 20 years of treason for allowing communist infiltration • Did his name-calling in the Senate to avoid slander suits McCarthy’s Tactics continued… • Republicans did little to stop his attacks because they believed they could win the 1952 election if people saw him purging Communists • Group of six senators who spoke out • Passage on page #620 by Senator Margaret Chase Smith McCarthy’s Downfall • • • • Accusations against the US Army Nationally televised investigation People saw him bullying witnesses Condemned for improper conduct; “Brought dishonor and disrepute to Senate” • Died of alcoholism Other Communist Measures • Others beside McCarthy made it their mission to root communism out of American society • By 1953, 39 states passed laws making illegal to advocate the violent overthrow of the government • Violation of free speech • The loyalty oath after investigations of a multitude of people (librarians, wrestlers, union leaders, reporters, scientists, etc.)
