The Development of the Red Scare
Transcript of The Development of the Red Scare
The Red Scare
Learning Objectives: To analyse how the Red Scare developed by
assessing the impact of key events
Key Terms, Events, Names: FELP, HUAC, FBI, The Hollywood Ten, The Hiss
Case, The Rosenberg Case, McCarran Internal Security Act
What were the causes
of the Red Scare?
Rank the below causes of the Red Scare in
order of hierarchy of importance in increasing
the scare in the USA.
How did each of the below lead increase the
fear of communism in USA?
• The Korean War
• Soviet Expansion in Eastern Europe
• Soviet Testing of the Atomic Bomb
• The Berlin Blockade
• Communist takeover of China
• Czechoslovakia 1948
• Marshall Plan
• Disagreements During WW2
• Ideological Differences
LO: To examine the causes of
growing anti-Communism in the
USA and to evaluate the ideological
differences between Capitalism and
Communism
The Spread of
Communism
LO: To examine the causes of
growing anti-Communism in the
USA and to evaluate the ideological
differences between Capitalism and
Communism
Post War US Politics
• Roosevelt died April 1945, Truman became president.
• Truman was under pressure to appeal to voters on the right side of the political spectrum.
• Fear of Communism was used to increase and justify a return to conservative, more “right wing” policies.
LO: To analyse how
the Red Scare
developed by
assessing the impact
of key events
Where have we seen this
in modern America?
LO: To analyse how
the Red Scare
developed by
assessing the impact
of key events
Where have we seen this
in modern America?
LO: To analyse how
the Red Scare
developed by
assessing the impact
of key events
The Growth of the Red
Scare
• As the Cold War intensified in the late
1940s, anti-Communist fear and
paranoia grew within American society.
• The growth of Communism in Europe,
the surprise development of a Russian
nuclear bomb, the fall of China and the
Korean War all contributed to the feeling
that America was under attack.
• Similarly, events within America also
contributed to the suspicion that America
was being ‘infiltrated’ by Communist
spies.
LO: To analyse how
the Red Scare
developed by
assessing the impact
of key events
Paranoia within
Government
• In March 1947, Truman reacted to
accusations he was ‘soft’ on Communism by
creating the Federal Employee Loyalty
Programme (FELP). By 1952, it had forced
around 3,000 workers to resign.
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
also began to secretly investigate
government workers under the leadership of
its anti-communist director, J. Edgar
Hoover.
• From 1945, the House Un-American
Activities Committee (HUAC) began to
actively investigate real or suspected
communists in all areas of society.
LO: To analyse how
the Red Scare
developed by
assessing the impact
of key events
The Hollywood Ten
• In 1947, the HUAC began to investigate the
Hollywood Film Industry for suspected
communist influence.
• Ten writers and directors who had to testify
before HUAC refused to answer whether they had
previously been communists. They pleaded that
the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution gave
them the right to their own political beliefs. They
were found to be in contempt of Congress and
were jailed for a year.
• Despite support from famous actors like
Humphrey Bogart, over 300 more artists were
investigated and boycotted by the film industry.
Even Charlie Chaplin was accused and he had to
leave the USA to find work!
LO: To analyse how
the Red Scare
developed by
assessing the impact
of key events
Is this man
a
communist
?
Were they communists
or was this a witch hunt?
LO: To analyse how
the Red Scare
developed by
assessing the impact
of key events
Were they communists
or was this a witch hunt?
LO: To analyse how
the Red Scare
developed by
assessing the impact
of key events
Was the persecution of the
Hollywood Ten an internal
witch hunt by the movie
industry? Find evidence
for and against this theory.
You will each be given one
of the Hollywood Ten to
investigate. Where they in
fact communists?
The Hiss Case
• In 1948, HUAC heard testimony from former
communist spy Elizabeth Bentley. She
gave the names of 150 other agents
including Alger Hiss, a government official
who had worked at the US State Department
and United Nations.
• Another former spy and editor of Time
magazine, Whittaker Chambers, gave
evidence and accused Hiss of being a
communist agent, even producing evidence.
Interrogated by Richard Nixon, Hiss denied
being a spy.
• He was found guilty of lying to court (not
spying) and was sentenced for 5 years.
LO: To analyse how
the Red Scare
developed by
assessing the impact
of key events
Was he a communist or
was this a witch hunt?
LO: To analyse how
the Red Scare
developed by
assessing the impact
of key events
Early Life & Career
Accusation of Espionage
Evidence during the trial
Key Witnesses
Conviction
Later Evidence ‘For’ &
‘Against’
The Rosenberg Case
• On 18th July 1950 Julius and Ethel
Rosenberg were arrested for passing
atomic bomb secrets to the Soviets.
• The evidence against them was weak
however the case came at a bad time.
The Korean War and development of a
Soviet atomic bomb led to many blaming
the Rosenberg’s.
• Despite mass demonstrations and
messages of support, they were found
guilty of espionage and sentenced to
death. They were executed in June 1953
LO: To analyse how
the Red Scare
developed by
assessing the impact
of key events
The McCarran Internal
Security Act
In light of the rising tide of arrests and perceived
communist threat, Congress passed the
McCarran Act in September 1950. The Act:
– Forced the Communist Party to register
with the Justice Department and share
information about its members.
– Allowed suspected Communists to be held
without trial in the event of war.
– Banned Communists from working in
weapons factories.
– Set-up the Subversive Activities Control
Board to watch for communist activities in the
USA.
LO: To analyse how
the Red Scare
developed by
assessing the impact
of key events
The McCarran Internal
Security Act
Write a short speech either
for or against the need for
the McCarran Security Act.
Compare this in parallel with
modern day terrorism laws
and need for governments to
protect people vs. individual
freedoms.
LO: To analyse how
the Red Scare
developed by
assessing the impact
of key events
Conclusion
• The result of all these spying cases
and government laws meant that
many Americans had become more
suspicious of their neighbours and
co-workers.
• People were less willing to talk politics
and unwilling to talk to anyone
associated with Communism. Society
became swept up in anti-communist
hysteria.
• People were more willing to allow
government to spy on its own
people to ensure that Communists
were rooted out.
LO: To analyse how
the Red Scare
developed by
assessing the impact
of key events