cold war age of suspicion. communism not popular in united states
TRANSCRIPT
COLD WAR
AGE OF SUSPICION
AGE OF SUSPICION
• COMMUNISM
• NOT POPULAR IN UNITED STATES
The Cold War Comes to the U.S.
What is “McCarthyism” and how was it dangerous?
Charges brought against people for suspicion of communist acts.
U.S. Senate goes on the attack.
• The U.S. Senate led a charge against many Americans for possible connections to communist activities.
• McCarthy’s unfound accusations caused many people to lose their jobs and leave in the same paranoia that was found in the Soviet Union.
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• Senate censored McCarthy
• “for Tending to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute”
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• Senate censored McCarthy
• “for Tending to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute”
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• Career over
• He died three years later from Alcoholism and died a broken man
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• AFTER WWII MEMBERSHIP DROPPED
• LOYALITY QUESTIONED
• LOYALITY REVIEW BOARD
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• Career over
• He died three years later from Alcoholism and died a broken man
What does Congress create to investigate communist
activities in the U.S.?
The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
HUAC goes on the hunt.
• Created to find possible fascists, Nazis, and communists, the committee began investigating Americans.
• The government probed unions, the armed services, educators, scientists, newspapers, and other media people.
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• HUAC
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• HOUSE COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITES
• CONCENTRATED ON HOLLYWOOD
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• Question asked:
• “are you now or have you ever been a member of the communist party or fellow traveler”
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• Fellow traveler = sympathetic to communism but not a party member
• Some refused to answer, others accused colleagues or fellow writers or actors of Communists
Controlling Communism
• McCarron Internal Security Act 1950
• Communist organizations had to register with Attorney General and provide membership lists
What is a “blacklist” and what industry used it?
A list of entertainment figures who should not be given jobs because of possible affiliations with communists.
Hollywood comes under attack
• The movie and entertainment industry came under a big attack during the 50’s for two reasons.
• First, many of the people going before Senate were only familiar with other people in Hollywood.
• Second, the film, radio, and tv. industry tried to publicly vilify Senator McCarthy and his actions.
Name a comic book character that became famous during
this time period?
Captain America
Who are the Hollywood Ten?
A group of writers, directors, and producers who invoked their 5th
Amendment rights while appearing before the HUAC.
Hollywood Ten set bad precedent.
• Despite using their Constitutional rights, the Hollywood Ten are convicted and sent to prison.
• This will lead to the Hollywood blacklists.
What movie reflects the sentiment of Americans
towards socialism?
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Movies make a statement.
• Despite being a movie about aliens invading peoples minds, people quickly understand the analogy of socialism taking over a society.
Who are Julius and Ethel Rosenberg?
A married couple that was accused of selling secret information about atomic
energy to the Soviet Union.
American spies are discovered
• An investigation of a man named Klaus Fuchs led to an American couple named Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
• Though the evidence was thin, the Rosenberg’s were convicted and executed.
• Forty years after their death, actual evidence was found of Julius’s guilt, but little evidence was found for Ethel.
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• Rosenberg Trial
• 1949 Russia test A-bomb
• Years before U.S.
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• 1950 Klaus Fuchs confessed to spying and giving nuclear secrets to Russians
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=Klaus+Fuchs&ei=UTF-8&x=wrt
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Implicated Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
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• 1951 Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were tried convicted sentenced and executed for spying
• First civilians executed for espionage in United States
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• Executed at Sing Sing prison
What is the “Red Scare”?
The fear that communists inside the borders and outside the borders of the U.S. were working to destroy American
life and democracy.
The Red Scare Returns
• Like immediately after WWI, the U.S. becomes paranoid of communist activities inside the U.S. after WWII.
• Despite being our allies during the war, people that considered socialism an acceptable practice became outcasts and were considered anti-American.
What famous scientist is investigated for being a
communist?
J. Robert Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer is accused of un-American activities
• Oppenheimer, who had been appointed as the chairman of the General Advisory Committee of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, had ties to the Communist Party.
• Oppenheimer’s wife and brother had once belonged to the Communist Party.
• The AEC denied Oppenheimer classified information and became an outcast.
Who is Alger Hiss?
Hiss was a rising government worker who was accused of being
a contact for the Soviets.
Alger Hiss is convicted.
• Under great scrutiny, Hiss’s declaration of innocence falls apart.
• Despite increasing evidence, Hiss is only convicted for 5 years for perjury charges.
• As years passed, more evidence has proven his guilt.
• This incident puts Senator Richard Nixon into the spotlight.
• The Alien Registration Act or Smith Act of 1940
• made it a criminal offense for anyone to "knowingly or willfully advocate, abet, advise or teach or encourage the overthrowing the Government of the United States or of any State by force or violence
Immigration and Nationality, or McCarran-Walter, Act
• 1952 This law allowed the government to deport immigrants or naturalized citizens engaged in subversive activities and also to bar suspected subversives from entering the country
What is the “Red Scare”?
The fear that communists inside the borders and outside the borders of the U.S. were working to destroy American
life and democracy.
The Red Scare Returns
• Like immediately after WWI, the U.S. becomes paranoid of communist activities inside the U.S. after WWII.
• Despite being our allies during the war, people that considered socialism an acceptable practice became outcasts and were considered anti-American.
What famous scientist is investigated for being a
communist?
J. Robert Oppenheimer
Captain America represents the U.S.
• Comic book hero Captain America becomes a representative for the greatness of America.
• This was a way to bring patriotism to children.
• The Alien Registration Act or Smith Act of 1940
• made it a criminal offense for anyone to "knowingly or willfully advocate, abet, advise or teach or encourage the overthrowing the Government of the United States or of any State by force or violence
Immigration and Nationality, or McCarran-Walter, Act
• 1952 This law allowed the government to deport immigrants or naturalized citizens engaged in subversive activities and also to bar suspected subversives from entering the country
What does Congress create to investigate communist
activities in the U.S.?
The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
ESPIONAGE TODAY
• 1994 Aldrich Ames Soviet “Mole”
• 2001 Robert Hanssen FBI : Charged with spying for Soviet Union
• Officials say Hanssen was a spy who profited from his activities, collecting more than $600,000 in cash, about $50,000 in diamonds and the promise, which he never took seriously, of another $800,000 in a Russian bank account
• Hanssen is accused of sending 27 letters and 22 packages to the KGB and its successor agency, the SVR. They left 33 bundles, stuffed with thousands of old dollar bills, for him.
• Because of him, operations were blown, including the 1989 investigation of foreign service officer Felix Bloch, suspected of spying for the Russians. Hanssen is accused of tipping off the Russians; officials believe that the KGB passed the information on to Bloch. And officials say Hanssen passed along names of potential recruits, including a boyhood friend
Aldrich Ames
• During the nine years that he worked for the KGB as a mole, Ames single handily shut down the CIA's eyes and ears in the Soviet Union by telling the Russians in 1985 the names of every "human asset" that the U.S. had working for it there
CPUSA
• Communist Party of the U.S.
• 1920’s – 1940’s
• Organized and led many major industrial Unions
• Defended the rights of African-Americans
CPUSA
• Became involved in recruitment and espionage
• Continues today: Renamed Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism
• @ 15,000 members – based in NY
• Peoples Weekly World