The Cold War at Home!

1. The Cold War at Home! What steps were taken to contain Communism inside the United States?

2. Focus Questions • Analyze domestic life in the United States during the Cold War. • Describe how the Cold War impacted life in the United States. • What about the Cold War parallels modern issues today? How has the country changed?

3. Red scare HUAC Smith Act Duck and Cover Bomb Shelter Blacklist Alger Hiss Rosenbergs Civil liberties vs national security McCarthyism Key Terms

4. The Second Red Scare • “There are today many communists in America. They are everywhere - In factories, offices, butcher shops, on street corners, in private businesses - and each carries in himself the germs of death for society.” • Howard McGrath: Presidents Truman’s attorney general.

5. Was the U.S. Infested? • No one really knew how many American Communists there were • 100,000 had voted for the communist party in 1932.

6. Red Scare • Periods of time in United States history when there was a strong anti-communist feeling. • Heightened suspicion of Communists and other radicals • Fear of widespread infiltration of Communists in U.S. government.

7. Alien Registration Act (Smith Act) 1940 • Made it illegal for anyone in the U. S. to advocate, abet, or teach the desirability of overthrowing the government • It required all alien residents in the U. S. over 14 years of age to file a statement of their personal and job status and a record of their political beliefs. • Within four months a total of 4,741,971 aliens had been registered • Used to target communists & “radicals.” • In 1949, 11 people were found guilty and sent to jail.

8. Smith Act • “ knowingly or willfully advocate, abet, advise or teach the duty, necessity, desirability or propriety of overthrowing the Government of the United States or of any State by force or violence, or for anyone to organize any association which teaches, advises or encourages such an overthrow, or for anyone to become a member of or to affiliate with any such association”.

9. Why You Should Pay Attention In Social Studies • Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. • What is this excerpt from? • It allows most people charged under the smith Act to be overthrown by the Supreme Court.

10. Joseph McCarthy At a campaign rally, Republican Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy made an announcement. • “I have here in my hand a list of 205 people that were known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping the policy of the State Department.” • He never produced the list but accused innocent people of communist activity

11. McCarthyism • McCarthyism- the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without regard for evidence. • Senator McCarthy accused government employees of being communist spies. • Led to paranoia & people losing jobs and ruining lives with little evidence

12. McCarthy’s Downfall • 1954-McCarthy lost popularity after attacking the army & after journalist Edward R. Murrow’s T.V. show “See It Now” investigated and illustrated McCarthy’s baseless accusations. • December 2, 1954-the Senate voted to censure (condemn) Senator McCarthy

13. Edward R. Murrow about McCarthy • “His primary achievement has been in confusing the public mind, as between the internal and the external threats of Communism. We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men. [...] • We proclaim ourselves, as indeed we are, the defenders of freedom, wherever it continues to exist in the world, but we cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home. The actions of the junior Senator from Wisconsin have caused alarm and dismay amongst our allies abroad, and given considerable comfort to our enemies. And whose fault is that? Not really his. He didn't create this situation of fear; he merely exploited it—and rather successfully.”

14. Civil Liberties vs. National Security • How does McCarthyism come in conflict with civil liberties? • Can you think of a situation in which your civil liberties are put aside for national security?

15. House Un-American Activity Committee (HUAC) 1938-1975 • Congressional Committee investigating communist subversion. • Investigated Nazi, Fascist, and Communist activities. • Held hearings investigating communist influence in Hollywood motion pictures. • Ruined careers and lives

16. Hollywood Ten • People in the entertainment industry who refused to assist in the federal investigations. • Seen by many as heros & by others as traitors • Blacklisted - denied the ability to work in their field because of suspected communist ties.

17. More people accused • Alger Hiss - High level government official. Accused and found guilty of perjury.(5 years) • Julius and Ethel Rosenberg - Jewish American couple. Accused and found guilty of espionage (passing secret material). (death penalty)

18. HUAC

19. It’s okay…we’re hunting communist What is happening in this political cartoon? What does the vehicle represent? What is the driver doing that is so bad? What does the caption at the top mean? How does this cartoon represent how the people feel about the actions of HUAC?

20. Protection against Nuclear Attack • Fallout Shelter (bomb shelter) - is an enclosed space specially designed to protect occupants from radioactive debris or fallout resulting from a nuclear explosion. • Duck and Cover - method of personal protection against the effects of a nuclear detonation.

21. Fallout Shelter • There were above ground and underground shelters. • Families built these in their backyard. • Government supplied pamphlets to help you with construction and knowing what to supply in your shelter.

22. Duck and Cover • Similar to tornado drills, school children were taught how to protect themselves incase of a nuclear attack.

23. Analyze domestic life in the United States during the Cold War. Describe how the Cold War impacted life in the United States. What about the Cold War parallels modern issues today? How has the country changed? In pairs, complete the “Cold Shoulder” activity. Performance Assessment