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…