American Cold War Culture and Law

McCarthyism and the Second Red Scare

Red ScareThe fear of communist and that

communist were going to infiltrate government offices

1949 Red Scare intensifies Soviets test atomic bombChina falls to communism

These events made Americans believe we were losing the Cold War

House UnAmerican Activities Committee (HUAC)Subcommittee of the House of

RepresentativesPurpose: To root out “subversion” of the

American systemThe Question: “Are you now or have you

ever been a member of the Communist Party?”

Hollywood on TrialFirst goal of the HUAC was to focus on the

film industryRonald Reagan was the President of the

SAG, and testified that there were Communists in Hollywood

10 screenwriters, the “Hollywood Ten”, used the 5th amendment and refused to testify Blacklisted

Senator Joseph McCarthyWisconsin Republican facing defeat in

election of 1950Turns to a platform of anti-Communism

Speech to a Republican women’s group in West Virginia

News soon spreads

The List“I have here a list of 205 names that were

made known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping policy in the State Department.”

Nobody actually saw the list, but that didn’t stop McCarthy from making acquisitions

Helped him get elected

The McCarran ActFormal name: The Internal Security ActTruman vetoed bill, but Congress overrode

his vetoRequires communist organizations to register

with the Subversive Activities Control BoardAuthorizes the arrest of suspect persons

during national emergencyCommunists could not have passportsSix concentration camps built for this purpose

The Immigration and Nationality Act

Another McCarran authored lawBarred people who were deemed either

“subversive” or “homosexual” from becoming citizens or even visiting the U.S.

Power to deport immigrants who were members of the Communist Party, even if they were citizens

In effect until 1973

Definition of McCarthyismThe fear, suspicion, and

scapegoating that surrounded McCarthy, his accusations and the general curtailment of civil rights during the Cold War era.

Examples of McCarthyism

In NYC, citizens must take loyalty oath to receive a fishing license

FDR’s New Deal is re-evaluated as “a socialist conspiracy” and “20 years of treason”

Jonas Salk invents vaccine for Polio; a congressman suggests that it be distributed to all school-age children for free. Eisenhower’s Secretary of Health rejects the idea as an attempt to “socialize medicine through the backdoor.”

McCarthy’s Downfall1954 McCarthy began to look for Soviet

spies in the U.S. ArmyIn the televised hearings, McCarthy often

bullied officers, harassed them about small details, and accusing them of misconduct

Began to lose popularitySenate passed a vote of Censure

Formal disapprovalLost all influence in the Senate

Died in 1957