Chapter 18 Section 3
The Cold War at Home
Fear of Communist Influence
• Many Americans
concerned about
security of the US
• Domination of
Eastern Europe and
spread to China
fueled fear of
Communist
expansion
Fear of Communist Influence
• Many factors led to
growing suspicion of
Communism in the
US
• 80,000 Americans
claimed membership
in the Communist
Party
• People feared
communists 1st loyalty
was to the Soviet
Union
Fear of Communist Influence
• 1945- 2 State
Department workers
stole classified
documents and
passed them to a proSoviet magazine
• Soviet agent defected
and showed
documents that a
Soviet spy was
stealing info about the
atomic bomb
Fear of Communist Influence
• Republicans accused
Truman
administration of
being soft on
Communism
• Truman thought too
much was being
made of Communist
threat…but had to
answer critics
Loyalty Review Board
• Investigate federal
employees and
dismiss those found
to be disloyal to US
govmt.
• Never established a
clear definition of
“loyalty”
Loyalty Review Board
• Congress drew up a list
of 92 subversive
organizations
• Membership in these
organizations would draw
suspicion
• 1947-51-investigated 3.2
million govmt. Employees
• Dismissed 212 as
security risks
Loyalty Review Board
• 2,900 quit b/c they didn’t
want to be investigated
• Said it was a violation of
constitutional rights
• People were not allowed
to see the evidence
against them
• Not allowed to know who
accused them of being
disloyal
House Committee on Un-American
Activities
• HUAC-hunted for
communist spies
inside and outside the
US government
• 1947-began to
investigate
communist influences
in the movie industry
House Committee on Un-American
Activities
• Hollywood did contain
a number of:
– Communists
– Former Communists
– Socialists
Hollywood also mad
several pro-Soviet
films during WWII
- Since the SU was
our ally
The Hollywood 10
• HUAC subpoenaed
43 witnesses from the
film industry
• Many witnessed were
“friendly”-supporting
allegations that
communism had
infiltrated the film
industry
• 10 “unfriendly
witnesses testfied
The Hollywood 10
• Decided not to
cooperate with the
committee-believed
the hearings were
unconstitutional
• Sent to prison for
refusing to answer
questions
The Hollywood 10
• In response to
hearings Hollywood
instituted a Blacklist
– A list of people
condemned for having
a communist
background
500 actors, directors,
and producers
blacklisted-could no
longer work in films
McCarran Act
• Passes in 1950
• Made it illegal to plan
any action that may
lead to totalitarian
dictatorship in the US
• Truman vetoed it
• Congress overrode
the veto
Alger Hiss
• 1948-Whittaker
Chambers-a former
communist spyaccuses Hiss of
spying for the Soviets
• Produces documents
to prove Hiss was a
spy
• Government denied
and fought against
the evidence
Alger Hiss
• Too many years had
passed
• Hiss could no longer
be charged w/
espionage
• Jury convicted him
with pergury-sent him
to jail
Alger Hiss
• Richard Nixon gained
fame for pursuing
charges against Hiss
• Within 4 years he was
vice-president
• Hiss claimed his
innocence until his
death
• Soviet documents
prove his guilt in the
1990s
The Rosenbergs
• September 23, 1949Soviets explode
atomic bomb
• American experts
thought it would take
3 to 5 more years
• Did the Soviets steal
American atomic
secrets?
The Rosenbergs
• Ethel and Julius
Rosenbergimplicated in helping
a British scientist give
the Soviets American
atomic secrets
• Minor activists in the
American Communist
Party
The Rosenbergs
• Rosenbergs denied
charges
• Plead 5th amendmentso they would not
incriminate
themselves
• Claimed they were
being persecuted b/c
they were Jewish and
for holding radical
beliefs
The Rosenbergs
• Found guilty
• Given death penalty
• Executed in June
1953
• Rosenbergs are
mentioned in the
same Soviet
documents that
suggest Hiss was
guilty
Joseph McCarthy
• Republican senator
from Wisconsin
• Charged that
communists were
taking over the
government
McCarthy’s Tactics
• Made a number of
accusations
• Lacked evidence
• This became known
as McCarthyismaccusing people of
disloyalty without
evidence
• NOTE: He wanted an
investigation, not a
trial, an investigation
searches for
evidence, it doesn’t
provide any
beforehand…or else
they wouldn’t need
an investigation to
find the evidence…
McCarthy’s Downfall
• Investigated US Army
• Televised
investigation
• Came across as a
bully
• Lost public support
• Died in 1957