The Cold War Creates Communist
Hysteria at Home
I. Two Cases of Catching Communists
A. HUAC and
the
Hollywood
Ten
A. The Hollywood Ten Go to Jail
B. Julius & Ethel Rosenberg
Are Executed
II. Basic Facts About the Communist
Hysteria
A. The Context: Fear of Communism +
Atomic Age = Fear of Spies
B. The Key Law/Rule: Workers can be fired if
there are “reasonable grounds” to believe they
are disloyal to the US govt.
C. Do you have to be a communist to
be penalized?
• No
– “Fellow travelers”
(members of
communist
organizations, friends
of communists, excommunists)
– Those who criticize
America -- civil rights
leaders,
homosexuals, etc.
D. A Range of Penalties: Humiliation 
Loss of Job  Jail  Execution
III. The Rise and Fall of Joseph McCarthy
A. McCarthy’s Early Life: From
Wisconsin to WWII
B. McCarthy’s Anti-Communism: The
Wheeling Speech & Wild Accusations
C. McCarthy’s Downfall: Attacking the
Army & Alcoholism