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The Rise of Joseph McCarthy

The Rise of Joseph McCarthy. McCarthy’s ‘Enemies Within’ Wheeling Speech 1950. What information did McCarthy cite to show that America was losing the war against Communism ?

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The Rise of Joseph McCarthy

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  1. The Rise of Joseph McCarthy

  2. McCarthy’s ‘Enemies Within’ Wheeling Speech 1950 • What information did McCarthy cite to show that America was losing the war against Communism? • Explain what McCarthy meant when he said "When a great democracy is destroyed, it will not be from enemies from without, but rather because of enemies from within." • How did McCarthy describe the sorts of people engaged in "traitorous actions" in the United States?

  3. Definition of McCarthyism • The fear, suspicion, and scapegoating that surrounded McCarthy, his accusations and the general curtailment of civil rights during the Cold War era. It was a witch-hunt style campaign to silence critics of the Cold War.

  4. Praise and Criticism • Perfect moment politically for the speech • But there was always some opposition

  5. House UnAmerican Activities Committee (HUAC) • Subcommittee of the House of Representatives • Purpose: To root out “subversion” of the American system • The Question: “Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?”

  6. The McCarran Act • Formal name: The Internal Security Act • Requires communist organizations to register with the Subversive Activities Control Board • Authorizes the arrest of suspect persons during national emergency • Six concentration camps built for this purpose

  7. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 • Another McCarran-authored law • Barred people who were deemed either “subversive” or “homosexual” from becoming citizens or even visiting the U.S. • Power to deport immigrants who were members of the Communist Party, even if they were citizens • In effect until 1973

  8. Examples of McCarthyism • In NYC, citizens must take loyalty oath to receive a fishing license • FDR’s New Deal is re-evaluated as “a socialist conspiracy” and “20 years of treason” • Jonas Salk invents vaccine for Polio; a congressman suggests that it be distributed to all school-age children for free. Eisenhower’s Secretary of Health rejects the idea as an attempt to “socialize medicine through the backdoor.”

  9. McCarthy Hearings • In the Senate Sub-Committee for Investigations, Senator McCarthy applied the methods of HUAC to the American government, military, and defense industry. • According to McCarthy’s own numbers, his investigations drove 400 suspected communists from the American government, though, in reality, few were guilty of anything more than liberal politics or associations

  10. Some of the Famous victims of McCarthy and FbI’s blacklist or hearings • WEB Dubois • Albert Einstein • Danny Kaye (famous actory) • Arthur Miller (playright, The Crucible) • Dorothy Parker (poet) • Pete Seeger (folk singer)

  11. Langston Hughes • an American poet • social activist • novelist • playwright and columnist. • Jazz Poetry • Harlem Renaissance • Hearing Transcript

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