Chapter 18 Section 3

The Cold War at Home

Fear of Communist Influence

• Many Americans concerned about security of the US

• Domination of Eastern Europe and spread to China fueled fear of Communist expansion

Fear of Communist Influence

• Many factors led to growing suspicion of Communism in the US

• 80,000 Americans claimed membership in the Communist Party

• People feared communists 1st loyalty was to the Soviet Union

Fear of Communist Influence

• 1945- 2 State Department workers stole classified documents and passed them to a pro-Soviet magazine

• Soviet agent defected and showed documents that a Soviet spy was stealing info about the atomic bomb

Fear of Communist Influence

• Republicans accused Truman administration of being soft on Communism

• Truman thought too much was being made of Communist threat…but had to answer critics

Loyalty Review Board

• Investigate federal employees and dismiss those found to be disloyal to US govmt.

• Never established a clear definition of “loyalty”

Loyalty Review Board

• Congress drew up a list of 92 subversive organizations

• Membership in these organizations would draw suspicion

• 1947-51-investigated 3.2 million govmt. Employees

• Dismissed 212 as security risks

Loyalty Review Board

• 2,900 quit b/c they didn’t want to be investigated

• Said it was a violation of constitutional rights

• People were not allowed to see the evidence against them

• Not allowed to know who accused them of being disloyal

House Committee on Un-American Activities

• HUAC-hunted for communist spies inside and outside the US government

• 1947-began to investigate communist influences in the movie industry

House Committee on Un-American Activities

• Hollywood did contain a number of:– Communists– Former Communists– Socialists

Hollywood also mad several pro-Soviet films during WWII

- Since the SU was our ally

The Hollywood 10

• HUAC subpoenaed 43 witnesses from the film industry

• Many witnessed were “friendly”-supporting allegations that communism had infiltrated the film industry

• 10 “unfriendly witnesses testfied

The Hollywood 10

• Decided not to cooperate with the committee-believed the hearings were unconstitutional

• Sent to prison for refusing to answer questions

The Hollywood 10

• In response to hearings Hollywood instituted a Blacklist– A list of people

condemned for having a communist background

500 actors, directors, and producers blacklisted-could no longer work in films

McCarran Act

• Passes in 1950• Made it illegal to plan

any action that may lead to totalitarian dictatorship in the US

• Truman vetoed it• Congress overrode

the veto

Alger Hiss

• 1948-Whittaker Chambers-a former communist spy-accuses Hiss of spying for the Soviets

• Produces documents to prove Hiss was a spy

• Government denied and fought against the evidence

Alger Hiss

• Too many years had passed

• Hiss could no longer be charged w/ espionage

• Jury convicted him with pergury-sent him to jail

Alger Hiss

• Richard Nixon gained fame for pursuing charges against Hiss

• Within 4 years he was vice-president

• Hiss claimed his innocence until his death

• Soviet documents prove his guilt in the 1990s

The Rosenbergs

• September 23, 1949-Soviets explode atomic bomb

• American experts thought it would take 3 to 5 more years

• Did the Soviets steal American atomic secrets?

The Rosenbergs

• Ethel and Julius Rosenberg- implicated in helping a British scientist give the Soviets American atomic secrets

• Minor activists in the American Communist Party

The Rosenbergs

• Rosenbergs denied charges

• Plead 5th amendment-so they would not incriminate themselves

• Claimed they were being persecuted b/c they were Jewish and for holding radical beliefs

The Rosenbergs

• Found guilty• Given death penalty• Executed in June

1953• Rosenbergs are

mentioned in the same Soviet documents that suggest Hiss was guilty

Joseph McCarthy

• Republican senator from Wisconsin

• Charged that communists were taking over the government

McCarthy’s Tactics

• Made a number of accusations

• Lacked evidence• This became known

as McCarthyism-accusing people of disloyalty without evidence

• NOTE: He wanted an investigation, not a trial, an investigation searches for evidence, it doesn’t provide any beforehand…or else they wouldn’t need an investigation to find the evidence…

McCarthy’s Downfall

• Investigated US Army• Televised

investigation• Came across as a

bully• Lost public support• Died in 1957