McCarthyism: Reds in America

Loyalty Review Board Truman’s response to Republican claims he

was soft on communists Board was to determine if any government

employee was disloyal to the government 91 “subversive” groups listed – membership

drew suspicion 3.2 million investigated – 212 dismissed – 2900

resigned Felt civil rights violated Never allowed to see the evidence about them

HUAC House Un-American Activities

Committee (HUAC) – A congressional committee that investigated charges of communism inside and outside U.S. government agencies

Went after movie industry – claimed that they used propaganda (looked at films made during WW2 that were pro-Soviet)

Hollywood Hollywood Ten – ten witnesses that refused to

cooperate on grounds that the hearings were unconstitutional – they were sent to prison

Hollywood executives responded with a blacklist of those individuals that they deemed were communists

McCarran Internal Security Act – unlawful to plan any action that might lead to the establishment of a totalitarian dictatorship Truman vetoes act that it is unconstitutional to punish

men for their opinions Congress enacted law over Truman’s veto

Spies Among Us – Alger Hiss Former State

Department official Accused by Whittaker

Chambers (former Communist spy) of spying for the Soviets

Chambers produced microfilm of government documents claimed to have been typed on Hiss’s typewriter

Spies Among Us – Alger Hiss Statute of limitations

up for espionage charge – instead convict him of perjury

Richard Nixon prosecuted Hiss

1990s Soviets released cables that confirmed Hiss’s guilt

Spies Among Us – The Rosenbergs

Ethel and Julius September 3, 1949 -

Soviets explode atomic bomb though U.S. experts had said that the Soviets should still be 3-5 years behind

Fear that U.S. individuals were giving Soviets our secrets

Spies Among Us – The Rosenbergs

Ethel and Julius German-born physicist,

Klaus Fuchs admits giving Soviets info on American atomic bomb

Implicated with Fuchs is Ethel & Julius Rosenberg, minor members of the American Communist Party

Spies Among Us – The Rosenbergs When asked if they were communists the Rosenbergs

plead the fifth amendment

Claimed they were being persecuted because they were Jewish and they held radical beliefs

They were found guilty of espionage & sentenced to death

Worldwide call for clemency that was denied

1st Americans executed for espionage – electric chair

McCarthyismJoseph McCarthy

Ineffective Junior senator from Wisconsin

Needs issue to get reelected – Communism

Made continuous unsupported accusations of Communism - no substantiating evidence

McCarthyismJoseph McCarthy

Made all his claims in the Senate – immunity

Never produced a name but claimed to have at any time 50-200 names

Blamed Democrats for “20 years of treason” – Republicans did not respond – want 1952 presidency

McCarthyismMcCarthy’s Downfall

Senator Margaret Smith and 5 other senators take him on

McCarthy makes accusation against U.S. Army (1954)

Televised Senate investigation His bullying tactics cause him to lose public

support Condemned by the Senate for improper

conduct

McCarthyismMcCarthy’s Legacy

By 1953 – 39 states pass laws making it illegal to promote the overthrow of the government

Laws were later deemed unconstitutional and overturned because of freedom of speech

Every industry was investigated for communist activity