Second Red Scare - Cold War II
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Transcript of Second Red Scare - Cold War II
The Second Red Scare
The Cold War Begins1945-1953
Growing Fear of Communism
Soviet Atomic Weapons• In September 1949
Truman announced that the Soviet Union had detonated an atomic bomb.
• This was a shock to the nation.
• Truman began to strengthen the nation’s military against a possible Soviet nuclear threat.
Communist China• Communists in China had
gained nearly full control of the country.
• The Nationalist government (supported by U.S.) of Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan
• China now controlled by Communist Party under the leadership of Mao Zedong.
• Americans worried that China increased the Communist threat to the U.S.
Fighting Communism at Home
• House Un-American Activities Committee investigated radical groups in the United States– Focused on battling communism– Created in the 1930’s– Most famous investigation • HUAC collected names of 10 Hollywood writers and
directors thought to have radical political views• The “Hollywood Ten” refused to answer questions and
were arrested for contempt
Newspaper 1952
Fighting Communism at Home
• President Truman felt he had to take action b/c of pressure from Republicans
• Created a plan to investigate all federal employees and bar those were found to be disloyal from federal employment.– 3 million people investigated– 200 found to be disloyal
Fighting Communism at Home
The Smith Act
• Passed in 1940• Made it a crime to call for
the overthrow of the U.S. government or belong to an organization that did so
• Upheld by court in 1951 Dennis vs. U.S.– Justified limits on free speech
• Communist officials convicted
The McCarran Act
• Passed in 1950• Required communist
organizations to register with the U.S. government
• Established a board to investigate Communist involvement
• Prevented communists and radicals from entering U.S.
Fighting Communism at Home• Spy cases fueled fear
of communism• Alger Hiss - accused
of being part of 1930’s plot to place Communists inside the government• Couldn’t be charged
with spying• Later convicted for
lying under oath
Fighting Communism at Home
Klaus Fuchs• Manhattan Project scientist
who gave atomic bomb information to the Soviets
Ethel and Julius Rosenberg• Accused leading a spy ring• Convicted of conspiracy and
executed in 1953
Senator Joseph McCarthy
• McCarthy claimed that there were 205 known Communists working for the U.S. Department of State
• Though evidence proved otherwise, his accusations stirred fear in many Americans
• Became famous for “fighting” Communism• His tactic of spreading fear and making
baseless charges became known as “McCarthyism”
Election of 1950
• McCarthy made special effort to bring about the defeat of Senator Millard Tydings– Investigated McCarthy’s first claims– Huge supporter of President Truman
• McCarthy produced fake photos of Tydings talking to the head of the American Communist Party
• Tydings lost the election• McCarthyism spread to universities, labor unions,
businesses – no one wanted to appear too “soft on communism”
McCarthy’s Fall
• Became even more wild with his charges
• Attacked fellow Republicans, the U.S. Army
• Public came to view his tactics as unfair
For next class…