Bellringer –
What does this
cartoon tell you about
the Cold War era?
June 17, 1949
Washington Post
McCarthyism and the
Cold War at Home
The Red Scare
• Hysteria caused by fear
& anxiety about Soviet
threat
• Many Americans
believed there were
communists working
within society to
undermine U.S.
Video Clip
McCarthyism
• Often used as a synonym of 2nd Red Scare
• Use of fear, suspicion, & scapegoating
through charges of communism to discredit
political ideas, cultural values, and
individual’s reputations
Causes of McCarthyism
• Post-WWI Red Scare
• Soviet creation of puppet regimes
across E. Europe post-WWII
• Soviets get Atomic bomb, 1949
• Mao Zedong’s communist party
gains control of China, 1949
• Ethel and Julius Rosenberg
convicted of espionage, 1950
• Korean War stalemate, 1951
Video Clip
Loyalty Review Program
• Truman created in
1947
– Background checks on
federal workers done by
FBI
– Accused sent in front of
the Loyalty Review
Board
– Anyone with
“questionable” activities
were fired or pressured
to resign
HUAC
• House Un-American
Activities Committee
– Congressional committee
to find Communists.
– Focused on Hollywood
• US govt. encouraged
pro-Soviet films during
WWII
– Refusal to answer =
labeled “Fifth Amendment
Communist”
Joe McCarthy
Senator who charged that there
were 205 communist spies in
the state department who
were selling out the United
States.
“When a great democracy is
destroyed, it will not be
because of the enemies from
without, but rather because of
the enemies from within.”
McCarthy
• Anti-Communism as a
political weapon
– Democrats were labeled “soft on
communism”
– Reds were Communists
– Pinks would gradually help lead
America to Communism
– Even called FDR’s New Deal “20
years of treason.” Creeping
Socialism
End of McCarthy
• Despite all of the hysteria, NO conspirators were
ever found. McCarthy never proved his conspiracy
theory.
– Political power waned, supporters abandoned
him.
– Finally overreached himself when he shouted at
a general on TV
“You are a disgrace to the uniform. You’re shielding
communist conspirators … You’re not fit to be an
officer. You’re ignorant.”
Video Clip
Who was accused?
• If you could prove that someone else was a
communist, no one would point the
accusing finger at you. Some of the
accused were:
– Rock & Roll musicians
– Teachers
– University Professors
– Librarians
– Girl Scouts
Impacts of Anti-Communist Sentiment
Political Discourse
• American politics swung heavily to the right, Republican and
conservative.
• Proposals by Democrats to increase the govt role in any program
was viewed as leading to RED. (Creeping Socialism.)
• 1950s - Jonas Salk invented the Polio vaccine, it was suggested
that all school age children be vaccinated for free.
• However, Eisenhower’s sec’y of health, argued against
vaccinating saying it would be “socialized medicine through the
back door.”
– Govt Funding for vaccinations cut by 70%
Impacts of Anti-Communist Sentiment
Lawmaking
• In Texas, membership in the Comm Party was a felony and
punishable by 20 years in prison.
– The governor vetoed the bill, calling for death.
• NY City, fisherman had to pledge their loyalty to the US to
get their fishing license.
• Indiana, wrestlers took a loyalty oath to get their license to
wrestle.
Impacts of Anti-Communist Sentiment
Education
• Teachers/Professors required to tale loyalty oaths.
• Textbooks emphasized patriotic themes, promoted anti-RED
propaganda
• High Schools told students to report suspicious behavior.
• “Un-American” books were banned and removed from
libraries.