Communism, Fear, and McCarthyism

How is the great fear of Communism during the Cold War relevant to today? Are we, as Americans, fearful

of other ideologies?

The Start of the Cold War and the Second Red Scare

A Background on Communism

Communism is a sociopolitical philosophy that abolishes social classesto create a stateless society in which decisions are made based on the best interest of the collective society.

Also referred to as “RevolutionaryProletarian Socialism” or “Marxism”.

Communism is enclosed in two Writings: 1). Communist Manifesto (Karl Marx)2).Principles of Communism

The Clash Between the United States and the

Soviet Union The United States and Soviet Union viewed the postwar world differently.

The United States believed in democrat government and capitalistic society, whereas the Soviet Union believed in a communistic economy and totalitarian government.

The USSR helped install Communist – dominated governments in Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania (1945).

The Clash Between the US and the USSR

Winston Churchill told an American audience, an “iron curtain” had descended across Europe, separating the “free” democratic nations of the west from the “captive” Communist nations of the East.

Types of Governments in the 1950s

American Reactions to Communism

1940’s and 50’sThe Second Red Scare 1947-

1957: Americans fear of the Soviet Union spreading communism across the word through revolution.

Liberals openly admitted there was a threat for communismand they took on an anti-communist position.

In 1949 ten well known U.S. communists were sent to jail for 5 years.

Fear of Communism in America

The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC)Created in 1938

Held publicized investigations to prove that under Democratic rule the government had tolerated or encouraged communist subversion.

Committee turned to the movie industry, arguing communist were in Hollywood and American films had communist propaganda.

“The Hollywood Ten” – Writers and Producers were called to testify and when they refused to do so they were sent to jail.

Fear of Communism in America cont.

Loyalty Checks and Internal Security: (1947)

Under Executive Order, President Truman created the Federal Employee Loyalty Program.

More than 3 million government workers were investigated and cleared, 2,000 resigned, and around 200 were dismissed from their jobs.

Workers had to take a loyalty oath – stated that was not or has never been part of the Communist Party

Internal Security Act or McCarran Act: (1950)

Required Communist and Communist Organizations to Register with the Attorney General, also prohibited employment of communist in the defense department

Senator Joseph McCarthyElected Wisconsin Sentor to Congress 1946

Republican elected the Wisconsin Senator to Congress in 1946.

In 1950 during a speech he claimed to have a list detailing known communist working for the State Department.

Exploited fear of communism and attacked the government on its inability to counter it to increase his own political standing.

McCarthy’s Effects on Society Blacklisted public servants

Listed 205 state department workers … little to no evidence

House on Un-American Activities Committee

Summoned 2300+ men and women costing them their jobs

400 went to jail with lack of a free trial

9500 civil servants dismissed including teachers

The Hollywood Ten

Effects on Society cont. Fear: Accused often left lawyer-less,

lawyers feared being labeled communist of communist sympathizers

Invasion and censorship of Hollywood HUAC investigated Hollywood

Oscar nominated Sam Jaffe – progressive not a communist, reduced from career in Hollywood to teaching math (Fewer the 10 percent of those blacklisted would get their jobs back)

1th Amendment implicationsFreedom of speech… unless McCarthy thinks you’re a communist

Movie Clip on the Hollywood Tenhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nublLQDGbU

Decline of McCarthyism

John Henry Faulk- comedy radio host fired for “communist disloyalty” sued AWARE in ‘57 and won in ‘62 creating a precedent for blacklisted celebrities

Yates vs. US(57) – overturned conviction of 14 communist on grounds of insignificant evidence

Watkins vs. US(57) – curtailed power of HUAC

Kent vs. Dulls(58) – halted State Department power to refuse or revoke a passport based on communist beliefs

End of McCarthy and McCarthyism

In 1954 the Watkins Committee lead by Senator Arthur Watkins was opened to investigate McCarthy on charges of contempt of the Subcommittee on Rules and Administration and abuse of General Zwicker.

He was found guilty and this verdict destroyed his political career .

Without his drive the anti-communist drive lost steam.

The HUAC would lose power and prestige after McCarthy’s fall and would finally disband in 1975.

Long-Term Influence Relevance to Today

Today McCarthyism is used to refer to the practice of making poorly supported accusations, attacking a persons patriotism, and using accusations of disloyalty to force a person to submit to popular policy or discredit a person

Many comparison are drawn between hunt for communist back then and the hunt for terrorist today

Right accuses left of interfering in the War on Terrorism like they impeded hunt for communist

Left accuses right of overreacting and abusing civil rights to hunt shadows

Sources

http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/mccarthy/blacklist.html

http://www.learnhistory.org.uk/usa/mccarthy.htm

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAmccarthyism.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism