Download Ch. 26.3 The Cold War at Home Section Objectives

Ch. 26.3 The Cold War at Home Section Objectives: 1. Describe government efforts to investigate the loyalty of U.S. citizens. 2. Explain the spy cases of Alger Hiss and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. 3. Describe the efforts of Senator Joseph McCarthy to investigate alleged Communist influence in the United States. One American’s Story ­Who was Tony Kahn? ● The son of Gordon Kahn, a suspected communist. ­What gripped the United States in the late 1940s and 1950s? ● anti­Communist hysteria 1. Fear of Communist Influence ­Why were Americans worried about the security of the United States? ● The Soviet Union dominated Eastern Europe and there was a Communist takeover in China. A. Loyalty Review Board ­What was the purpose of the Loyalty Review Board? ● Investigate government employees and dismiss those who were found to be disloyal to the U.S. government. B. The House Un­American Activities Committee ­What did the House Un­American Activities Committee do? ● A government agency that investigated possible Communist influence, both inside and outside the U.S. government ● HUAC made headlines for investigating Communist influence in the movie industry ­Who were the Hollywood Ten? ● Ten witnesses from the film industry who refused to testify for HUAC in their investigation of Communist influence in Hollywood. ­What is a blacklist? ● A list of people who Hollywood executives considered having a Communist background. C. The McCarran Act ­What was the McCarran Internal Security Act? ● This made it unlawful to plan any action that might lead to the establishment of a totalitarian dictatorship in the United States. ­Why was Truman opposed to this law? ● Truman felt people should be able to voice their opinion on certain issues and not be punished for them. ● People in the U.S. are punished for crimes committed not the opinions they have 2. Spy Cases Stun the Nation ­What added fear in the United States? ● Two spy cases A. Alger Hiss ­Who was Alger Hiss? ● He was accused of spying for the Soviet Union. ­Why was State Department official Alger Hiss investigated? ● Whittaker Chambers believed Hiss had government documents. B. The Rosenbergs ­Who were Julius and Ethel Rosenberg? ● Minor activists in the Communist party who were implicated in helping the Soviet Union obtain information that
helped them create an atomic bomb. ­What did Judge Irving Kaufman say about them? ● Their crime was worse than murder ­What happened to Julius and Ethel Rosenberg? ● They were executed in 1953 for espionage. 3. McCarthy Launches His “Witch Hunt” ­Who was Joseph McCarthy? ● A U.S. senator from Wisconsin who became the most famous anti­Communist activist. ● He charged Communists were taking over the government. ­Why did he get involved in the Communist witch hunt? ● He needed to gain support for reelection in 1952. A. McCarthy’s Tactics ­What was McCarthyism? ● Accusing people of being Communist without providing any evidence. ­What was controversial about McCarthy’s tactics? ● He provided no evidence to support his claims. ­Why did most Republicans remain silent about McCarthy’s “Witch Hunt?” ● They believed they would win the 1952 presidential election if the public saw them removing Communists from
the nation. B. McCarthy’s Downfall ­What caused McCarthy’s downfall? ● He made accusations against the U.S. Army. C. Other Anti­Communist Measures ­What other anti­Communist measures were enacted in the early 1950s? ● 39 states had passed laws making it illegal to advocate the violent overthrow of the government. ● Pro wrestlers had to take an oath of loyalty in Indiana. ● Union leaders, librarians, newspaper reporters, and scientists were all investigated by the government.