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February 9, 1950
J. McCarthy gave a speech to the
Senate, “205 card carrying
communists had infiltrated the US
government” – cited 81 cases
Senate called for a full
investigation
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“witch hunt” ensues
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Rosenbergs
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Government officials, entertainers,
union officials, educators
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ
zV6-wJ3SQ
 Hollywood 10
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"Are you now, or have you ever been, a
member of the Communist party?“
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McCarthy started accusing high level
officials such as Dean Acheson and
George Marshall
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Federal Employees Loyalty and
Security Program
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McCarran Act
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The House Committee on UnAmerican Activities (HUAC)
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McCarthy's accusations went on into 1954,
when the Wisconsin senator focused on the
United States Army.
For eight weeks, in televised hearings,
McCarthy interrogated army officials,
including many decorated war heroes.
"At long last, have you no sense of decency
left?“
McCarthy died in 57’
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We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty.
We must remember always that accusation is
not proof and that conviction depends upon
evidence and due process of law. We will not
walk in fear, one of another. We will not be
driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we
dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and
remember that we are not descended from
fearful men , Murrow CBS Newscaster
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McCarthyism is the
practice of making
accusations of
disloyalty, subversion,
or treason without
proper regard for
evidence.
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Fears that children
would be corrupted by
the "communist"
practices depicted in
Robin Hood led many
schools and libraries to
ban the classic tale
about taking from the
rich to give to the poor.
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state legislatures and school boards mimicked McCarthy and
HUAC. Thousands of people lost their jobs and had their
reputations tarnished.
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the AFL (American Federation of Labor) and the CIO
(Congress of Industrial Organizations) merged in 1955 to
close ranks
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No politician could consider opening trade with China or
withdrawing from Southeast Asia without being branded a
communist
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Don't criticize the United States. Don't be different. Just
conform.
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Sir, I detest, I abhor their [communists']
philosophy, but I detest more than that their
tactics, which are those of the fifth column,
and are dishonest, but at the same time I
never as a citizen want to see our country
become urged, by either fear or resentment
of this group, that we ever compromise with
any of our democratic principles through that
fear or resentment. I still think that
democracy can do it.
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many of the accused had attended party
rallies 15 or more years before the hearings —
it had been fashionable to do so in the 1930s.
Soviet spy ring did penetrate the highest
levels of the American government, the vast
majority of the accused were innocent
victims
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It is now evident that the present Administration has fully
embraced, for political advantage, McCarthyism. I am not
referring to the Senator from Wisconsin. He is only important
in that his name has taken on the dictionary meaning of the
word. It is the corruption of truth, the abandonment of the
due process law. It is the use of the big lie and the unfounded
accusation against any citizen in the name of Americanism or
security. It is the rise to power of the demagogue who lives
on untruth; it is the spreading of fear and the destruction of
faith in every level of society, Truman
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56’ Slochower v. BOE – firing 5th amendment
57’ Yates v. US – reversed convictions
57’ Watkins v. US – contempt congress
58’ Kent v. Dulles - passports