Accusation Part II

1. Accusation Part II McCarthyism

2. The "RED" Threat • Throughout the 1940s and 1950s America was overwhelmed with concerns about the threat of communism. • Capitalizing on those concerns, young Senator Joseph McCarthy made a public accusation that more than 200 communists had infiltrated the US government.

3. The HUAC • House on Un-American Activities Committee. • Formed in 1938. • McCarthy’s accusations heightened political tensions of the times. • This paranoid hunt for infiltrators was known as McCarthyism and the inquisitions were executed by the HUAC.

4. The Entertainment Industry • This was particularly difficult on writers and entertainers. • Some had passports taken away and others were labeled communist sympathizers. • They were also jailed for refusing to give names of other communists.

5. 320 + Accusations • In the entertainment industry alone there were 320 accusations made. • These unsubstantiated accusations destroyed careers as they were all blacklisted.

6. A Shameful Moment in History • There were a few who were willing to stand up against McCarthy and the Communist machine. • By 1954, the fervor had died down and many actors and writers were able to return to work. • This was one of the most shameful moments in modern US History.

7. Works Cited • http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/arthur-miller/mccarthyism/484/