1 / 29

The cold war, the red scare, and M c Carthyism

The cold war, the red scare, and M c Carthyism. The cold war. Definition: Open yet restricted rivalry/hostility between U.S . and Soviet Union and respective allies 1947 – 1991 Never featured direct military action. Competing Ideologies and Beliefs .

kami
Download Presentation

The cold war, the red scare, and M c Carthyism

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The cold war, the red scare, and McCarthyism

  2. The cold war • Definition: Open yet restricted rivalry/hostility between U.S. and Soviet Union and respective allies • 1947 – 1991 • Never featured direct military action

  3. Competing Ideologies and Beliefs United States vs. Soviet Union Democracy vs. Communism

  4. The cold war • U.S. & Britain feared Soviet/communist expansion in W. Europe and beyond • Soviets determined to keep control of E. Europe • Quickly became an “arms race” – who could build the most destructive weapons

  5. United States Democratic government: • supreme power vested in people • free electoral system • power exercised directly by people or elected agents

  6. United States Capitalism: • economic system • investment made/ownership maintained mainly by private individuals/corporations, including production, distribution, exchange of wealth

  7. United States Freedom of expression: • Arts • Entertainment • Media • Religion

  8. Soviet Union Communist government: • All economic/social activity controlled by oppressive state • dominated by single political partyin continuous control

  9. Soviet Union • People incapable of choosing leaders • Repressed all opposition • Demanded rigid obedience • No religious tolerance

  10. Distrust and Propaganda • U.S. and Soviet Union assumed very worst of each other • No peace or reconciliatory talks • Emphasized the threat from the other to their citizens

  11. Distrust and Propaganda • Sent spy satellites /agents to check each other’s activities

  12. Distrust and Propaganda • Politicians referenced and declared U.S. / U.S.S.R. threatened world peace

  13. Military Buildup • Cold War resulted in massive military buildup. • “Arms Race” - Both sides stocked up on atomic, hydrogen, nuclear weapons.

  14. Military Buildup • Use of these weapons would ensure complete annihilation of both countries. • Created massive fear among citizens. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQF7vdXK184

  15. The (second) Red Scare1950 - 1954

  16. The effects of fear • Fear of communism dominated American politics • Shaped foreign policy • Americans feared individuals who supported ideas/objectives of Communist Party might overthrow U. S. gov.

  17. the 1950s • Gov. agencies/politicians carried out overzealous executive/legislative investigations of political dissenters • Disregarded individuals’ basic constitutional rights

  18. The Anti-communist Crusade • Nation embarked on crusade • Goal - root out communist influence in American wherever evidence of treason could be found.

  19. Public fear • Communism a national obsession • Miss America contestants asked for their views on Karl Marx, Communism's founder • Cincinnati Reds baseball team changed name to Redlegs

  20. Public fear • Movies, books, TV and radio shows, comic books, celebrities, politicians all warned about the "Red menace." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByvXINerE_k&list=UU5rNjpSthkvMIyWdason_5g&index=1&feature=plcp

  21. Mccarthyism

  22. Definition of term • the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason w/out proper evidence • Originated during “Red Scare” (1950 – 1954) in U. S. , time of heightened fears of communist influence and Soviet spies

  23. Joseph McCarthy • Born 1908/died 1957 • Consider one of least qualified, most corrupt politicians of his time • Waged vicious campaign to expose Communist spies in U.S. gov. • Never found one, but fueled national hysteria called the “Red Scare”

  24. Political ambition • End of first term, McCarthy took advantage of nation’s fanatic terror against communism • Feb. 9, 1950: claimed to have list of 205 known-members of American Communist Party within the State Department

  25. Political ambition • Am. public went crazy with thought of radical communists living in U. S. • Demanded investigation of underground agitators • Most on McCarthy’s list not communists

  26. McCarthy's persecution • McCarthy’s false accusations/unrelenting publicity: • Caused many to lose their jobs • Produced popular attacks/ judgment/accusations on others • Destroyed reputations

  27. Hollywood blacklist • Mid-20th-century list of screenwriters, actors, directors, musicians, composers, etc. denied employment because of political beliefs/associations, real or suspected

  28. Hollywood blacklist • Artists barred from work on basis of: • alleged membership in/ sympathy toward American Communist Party • involvement in liberal/ humanitarian political causes blacklist enforcers associated with communism • refusal to assist investigations into Communist Party activities

  29. Hollywood blacklist • Caused direct damage to careers of many American artists • Lead to betrayal of friendships • Ruined personal/professional relationships • Promoted censorship across entire industry

More Related