THE COLD WAR AT HOMEHUAC & MCCARTHYISM

THE COLD WARA period of tension between Communist and Anti-Communist nations

Led by the two world superpowers: United States & Soviet Union

OPPOSING IDEOLOGIES

United States

•Democracy

•Multiple party politics

•Capitalism

•Property is privately owned

•Businesses and consumers control economy

Soviet Union

•Communism

•Government owns

property and controls

economy

•Single party politics

WHY WAS THE UNITED STATES SO AFRAID OF COMMUNISM?

Domino Theory: the idea that if one country in a region came under the influence of communism than others in that area would also become communist

Led to Anti-Communist hysteria

HOUSE UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE(HUAC)

•Committee in the House of Representatives in charge of investigating possible communists

•1947-Hollywood Film Industry targeted

•Actors, directors, writers, etc. were forced to testify about their political beliefs

•Many chose to remain silent in fear of incriminating themselves

•Blacklists

MCCARTHYISM

“I have here in my hand a list of 205...a list of 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…”-Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin, 1950

MCCARTHYISM VIDEOhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=3_swO7Z2Vso&feature=related

1. What did the narrator mean by “the senator ran roughshod over civil liberties”?

2. How did McCarthy’s actions impact the American people?

3. What eventually happened to Senator McCarthy?

4. What was the ultimate result of the McCarthy hearings?

MCCARTHYISM

• Little to no evidence of communist activities necessary to accuse someone

• Many were fired or imprisoned for suspicion

• Army-McCarthy hearings (1954)

• “Until this moment, Senator, I think I have never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness…It is, I regret to say, equally true that I fear he shall always bear a scar needlessly inflicted by you.” –Joseph Welch

• McCarthy was censured, formally scolded, for his actions

Did the US government have a right to persecute possible Communists as spies or threats in the name of National Security?