The Red Scare

What led to the Red Scare?

1. Growth of Communism in the United States

2. Increased Soviet Power in Eastern Europe

3. Communist governments came to power in China and North Korea

Red Scare led to…..

Red Scare in the Media…

From 1949-1954 Hollywood produced over 40 anticommunist films

News reels frightened viewers by highlighting the rise of communism around the world

House Un-American Activites Committee

(HUAC)

HUAC

Created to look into disloyalty and harmful foreign influences in the United States

1947 – began hearings examing suspected Communists in Hollywood

Blacklisted suspected communists Hollywood Ten

Loyalty Review Board

Looked into the backgrounds of thousands of federal workers

How many communists did they find?

Thousands lost their jobs because of pure speculation

International Security Act

Made suspected communist groups register with the government

Gave the government the right to arrest anyone suspected of disloyalty during time of National Emergency

Spies????

Whittaker Chambers Confessed Soviet Spy

Alger HissAccused of being a spy by Chambers

Convicted of perjury

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Convicted of passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union

Executed

Sen. Joseph McCarthy

McCarthy to Truman…

Truman’s Response….