The Second Red Scare

I. Causes of the Red Scare

A. Soviet Atomic Weapons

• August 1949 USSR detonated their first A-Bomb• FEAR!!!!

B. Communist China

• Chiang Kai-shek• Mao Zedong• 1949

Communists win

• Chiang Kai-shek• Mao Zedong• 1949

Communists win

II. Fighting the Spread of

Communism at Home

II. Fighting the Spread of

Communism at Home

A. Investigating Communism

• HUAC• Hollywood Ten• Truman’s Loyalty Program

B. Fighting CommunistsB. Fighting

Communists• Smith Act (1940)• McCarran Internal

Security Act (1950)• Alger Hiss (1948)• Klaus Fuchs (1950)• Rosenbergs (1951)

• Smith Act (1940)• McCarran Internal

Security Act (1950)• Alger Hiss (1948)• Klaus Fuchs (1950)• Rosenbergs (1951)

C. Senator Joseph McCarthy

• Claimed communists in Fed Gov’t• McCarthyism• McCarthy

goes too far…

• Claimed communists in Fed Gov’t• McCarthyism• McCarthy

goes too far…

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