The Cold War Begins

The Cold War Begins 25.3 The Second Red Scare

Quiz Review • What was the G.I. Bill? How did it help veterans? • A government-issued bill which collected money from the paychecks of military personnel which was then saved for them; when they retired from the military, the veterans could begin to draw on this money (and additional moneys) to fund their educations, help them purchase homes, etc. • What was the World Bank? Why was it established? • The world bank was established after WWII to help third world and under-developed countries , it provided them with money to build their infrastructures and thereby grow their economies in an effort to pull them out of poverty • Who led the Commission on Human Rights? What was it designed to prevent? • Eleanor Roosevelt led the Commission on Human Rights which was designed to both define and restrict human rights violations, so as to prevent atrocities such as genocide and enslavement • In what year did we de-segregate the military? What group is still denied eligibility today? • The military was de-segregated before public schools in 1948; openly gay individuals are still not allowed to serve • What was a Dixiecrat? (Hint: I’m looking for two keywords) • A conservative, racist political party which promoted segregation • What was the name of the man who ran against Truman in the infamous election of 1948? Who won? • Thomas Dewey; Truman won • What programs did the Fair Deal finance? • Health insurance; education

Focus Your Thoughts . . . Why are the United States, and other democratic nations, so afraid of communism?

The Growing Fear of Communism • The postwar years were a tense time in the U.S., primarily because communism was spreading rapidly in Europe, because of: • Soviet atomics weapons • The growing threat in China

Soviet Atomic Weapons • August 1949 • U.S. aircraft picked up unusual radioactivity in the atmosphere; the Soviet Union had detonated an atomic bomb • Truman confirmed this, and Americans became fearful, no longer could they rely on the atomic bomb as a defense against the Soviets, they had one as well!

The Threat of Communist China • The Nationalist government, led by Chiang Kai-shek, had fled mainland China for the island nation of Taiwan • Kai-shek had been a loyal friend of the U.S. during WWII • The People’s Republic of China was born; and the nation was under complete control of the communists under Mao Zedong Mao Zedong

Population: 1950 NATO Members Communist Nations • The United States & Canada • 171,550,000 • Western Europe • 173,882,000 • Total: 345,432,000 • The Soviet Union • 180,980,000 • Eastern Europe • 106,055,000 • Total: 287, 035,000 • China (?!) • 554,760,000

Investigating Communism • The House Un-American Activities Committee • Existed since the 1930’s • Investigated radical groups in the U.S.; focused heavily on communism • The Hollywood Ten • The most famous HUAC case • Ten Hollywood directors thought to be communists are interrogated; they refuse to answer questions and are jailed for contempt • Individuals who still chose to withhold names or answer questions were blacklisted Review: What does it mean to be ‘blacklisted’?

Truman & Loyalty The Smith Act The McCarran Act Spy cases

Federal Investigations • Truman didn’t want to appear like he took the communist threat lightly, he began investigating all federal employees through a variety of programs • The Smith Act – A law passed in 1940, made it a crime to call for the overthrow of the U.S. government • The McCarran Act – In 1950, communist organizations were required to register; in addition, it made it illegal to plan for the creation of a totalitarian government

Famous Communist Spies • Alger Hiss – Accused of being part of a 1930’s plot to place Communists inside the government; denied the charges, but was convicted of lying under oath after top-secret government microfilm found at his Maryland farm implicated him • Klaus Fuchs – German-born scientist who had worked on the Manhattan Project and had divulged its secrets to the Soviets; served nine years of a twelve-year sentence • Julius & Ethel Rosenberg – Accused of being leaders of a communist spy ring by their sister and brother-in-law; refused to answer questions about their political activity, which included involvement in communism • Sentenced to death; executed in 1953 Julius & Ethel share their final kiss before being electrocuted

The Rise of McCarthyism • February 9, 1950 • Senator Joseph McCarthy from Wisconsin made a speech in which he claimed that there were 205 known Communists working for the U.S. Department of State; later he publicly waved a list he claimed named fifty-seven of them . . . mysteriously, he would never provide the supposed ‘list of names’ • Despite the fact that a Senate committee found no evidence to back up his claims, McCarthy quickly became known as the nation’s top Communist fighter; this led to a sensational movement known as ‘McCarthyism’

What did McCarthyism Entail? McCarthy’s Tactics “Oh you don’t believe me?? Maybe you’re a communist too!” • McCarthy went on a rampage, accusing people left and right • Anyone who opposed him or called his accusations bogus was also accused • This led others to jump on the bandwagon and start accusing people for fear of being accused themselves if they didn’t appear to be actively seeking out communists

McCarthy’s Fall • In 1952, McCarthy was re-elected to the Senate; his downfall came when he began to accuse fellow Republicans and then, the U.S. Army • McCarthy’s “hearings” on communism were often televised, but the public started to view them as unfair as they became more and more outlandish; they felt McCarthy was employing ‘scare tactics’ to incite panic Soon, McCarthy’s political career would come to an end, but the fear of communism that enveloped the nation was here to stay!

The Cold War Begins