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The Cold War at Home

The Cold War at Home. The Second Red Scare. Second Red Scare. Reminiscent of post WWI Red Scare House Un-American Activities Committee devotes itself solely to anti-Communism after end of WW2. Known as HUAC

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The Cold War at Home

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  1. The Cold War at Home The Second Red Scare

  2. Second Red Scare • Reminiscent of post WWI Red Scare • House Un-American Activities Committee devotes itself solely to anti-Communism after end of WW2. • Known as HUAC • Investigated Americans with possible Communist sympathies, especially within the government and Hollywood.

  3. Alger Hiss • Former State Department officer • No longer worked for Government • Accused by Whitaker Chambers of spying for the Soviets • Hiss convicted of perjury – statute of limitations on espionage had expired

  4. H.U.A.C. • Young Congressman Richard Nixon was at center of Hiss investigation • HUAC, est. in 1938 became was originally anti-fascist and anti-communist. • Post WWII HUAC focused on Communism

  5. H.U.A.C. • HUAC began to investigate Communist influence and sympathy in Hollywood in 1947 • Witnesses called before the HUAC were expected to name names and answer questions about their political beliefs

  6. H.U.A.C. • Some Hollywood figures willingly cooperated, like Walt Disney and Ronald Reagan • Others resisted answering some questions and were imprisoned on charges of contempt of Congress

  7. Hollywood Ten • The first group of uncooperative witnesses was known as the Hollywood Ten • Many more suspected Communist sympathizers were blacklisted, rendering them unable to find future work in the entertainment industry

  8. Truman Loyalty Program • President Truman ordered the Justice department to create a list of possible “subversives” in the government • Government could fire persons believed to be disloyal

  9. McCarthyism • Sen. McCarthy declared he had a list of 205 Communists in the State Department at a speech in Wheeling, WV • Nobody saw the names on the list but it still made national news

  10. McCarthyism • Accusations were not based on adequate evidence • Number of Communists varied from speech to speech • Labeled Secretary of State Dean Acheson as “Red Dean”

  11. Conformity • The atmosphere of fear created by the Second Red Scare and McCarthyism encouraged conformity and discouraged dissent • worked in conjunction with consumerism and the desire to “keep up with the Joneses”

  12. McCarthy’s Supporters • Republicans • Catholics • Conservative Protestants • Blue-collar Workers

  13. Enter Eisenhower • Eisenhower made several campaign appearances with McCarthy • Eisenhower is thought to have disliked McCarthy, in part because of his attack's on Eisenhower's friend and former commander George C. Marshall.

  14. Downfall • In early 1954 McCarthy launches new set of accusations, this time directed at the US army • Hearings are televised for first time, public disapproves of McCarthy’s bullying style • Dec 1954 Senate votes to censure McCarthy for his conduct

  15. The Crucible • An allegory of McCarthyism and the HUAC hearings • Likened Anti-Communist hunt to the Salem Witch Hunts • Won best play Tony Award in 1953

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