THE RED SCARE AND MCCARTHYISM

A Modern Day Witch Hunt

What is Communism

- Think about everything you know about communism. Talk to you neighbor about it. Be ready to share.

Consider: - How are communism and

capitalism different?- Why do you think that

communism might be considered “un-American”?

What is the Red Scare?

• Shortly after the end of World War I, the Red Scare took hold in the United States.

• A nationwide fear of communists, socialistsanarchists, and other dissidents suddenly grabbed the American psyche

First Red Scare

• The "Red Scare" was "a nation-wide anti-radical hysteria.

• The first Red Scare began following the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the intensely patriotic years of World War I.

• On June 2, 1919, in eight cities, eight bombs simultaneously exploded. – One target was the Washington, D.C., house of U.S. Attorney

General Palmer, where the explosion killed the bomber, whom evidence indicated was an Italian-American radical from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

American Fears

• The Media promoted two ideals:

– Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear of foreigners or strangers

Mass Hysteria– Hysteria, describes unmanageable emotional

excesses. People who are "hysterical" often lose self-control due to an overwhelming fear

Government Fears

              

                                 

         

The HUAC members considered it their duty to purge the country of any Communist influences.

1938: House Un-American Activities

Committee (HUAC) was established.

                                            

 

                                             

Mao Tse-Tung, Chairman of the Communist Party in China,

1945-1976

1945: China fell to the Communists

  

                                        

     

                                             

Josef Stalin, Communist leader of the Soviet Union, 1922-1953

1945 and on:

Post-World War II

distrust of the Soviet

Union

       

                                            

     

                                                  

       

                                                    

     

The idea of requiring employees to sign loyalty oaths became very popular, and was used all over the country.

Thirty-one professors lost their jobs when they refused to sign, as did many more teaching assistants, student employees and staff. The professors sued and won in court, and resumed their jobs.

1949: The University of

California started requiring all

employees to sign anti-

communist loyalty oath.

Many faculty and staff objected to the oath, calling it a political test as a condition of

employment.

McCarthyism

• Joseph McCarthy

• U.S. Senator from Wisconsin1947-1957

              

                                                

                                                   

              

                                                

                                                   

This allegation was never proven (and the numbers seemed to vary every timehe made this announcement), but it got McCarthy a lot of publicity!

February 9, 1950:Senator Joseph

McCarthy announced that he

had a list of 205 communists in the U.S. Department of

State.

“The Hollywood 10” became the most famous victims of the communist witch hunt in Hollywood, when they refused to testify and name names. They were cited for Contempt of Congress and were jailed for one year each.

Contempt of Congress is refusing to do whatever a Member of Congress tells you to do in a hearing. It is a criminal offense.

Thousands of people in Hollywood lost their jobs.

From McCarthy’s speech in Wheeling, West Virginia

“I have here in my hand a list of 205 . . . a list of names that were made known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping policy in the State Department. . .”

The play focused heavily on the fact that once accused, a person would have little chance of acquittal, given the irrational and circular reasoning of both the courts and the public.

The 1952 Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible used the Salem Witch Trials as a metaphor for

McCarthyism, suggesting that the process of McCarthyism-

style persecution can occur at any

time or place.

Attempts were made by McCarthy to discredit Robert Stevens, the Secretary of the Army. The president, Dwight Eisenhower, was furious and realized that it was time to bring an end to McCarthy's activities.

In October, 1953, McCarthy began

investigating communist

infiltration into the military.

                                                          

    

                                                                             

Senator Joseph McCarthy

December 2, 1954: By a

vote of 67 to 22, Joseph

McCarthy was censured.