Un-American Activities
In the midst of fighting World War II, leaders Franklin Roosevelt (U.S. President) and Winston Churchill (British Prime Minister) became distrustful of Stalin’s (USSR Dictator) intentions for the Soviet Union after the war’s end. Roosevelt, followed by President Truman grew concerned that the safety of the United States would be threatened by the spread of communism. At the start of the Korean War in 1950, America was enraptured in a second Red Scare that dwarfed the first. People became paranoid and obsessed with foiling plans of espionage and communist sympathizers. Both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party used the Red Scare to pin accusations on the opposing party and soil their public image. National and state officials were prompted to initiate loyalty checks to reveal suspicious government workers. President Truman, in an attempt to contain communism in America, issued Executive Order 9835, giving the attorney general the power to list Communist, Fascist, or rebellious organizations. Any ties to such groups were grounds for dismissal. The loyalty program resulted in about 3,000 firings and 11,000 resignations in 1947-1953.
The Hunt for Subversives
Ethel and Julius Rosenberg
The search for subversives began with Texas Congressman Martin Dies, who started a committee to expose pro-Fascists in the U.S. that eventually became the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC). Hollywood, with its loose morals, liberal thinking, foreign writers, actors, and directors, became the primary target. Despite reassurance from popular actors such as Gary Cooper and Ronald Reagan, that they had no connections to Communist groups, eight screenwriters and two directors suffered the wrath of HUAC. The Hollywood ten, as they became known, refused to state their political beliefs, using the First Amendment in their defense. The Supreme Court ruling claimed that it was insufficient protection and handed down jail sentences. The Hollywood witch hunt destroyed many careers and forced some to create pseudonyms in order to secure a job. Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were two prominent victims of the the hunt for subversives. FBI agents arrested the couple on charges of espionage after they were linked to a British spy, Klaus Fuchs and army sergeant David Greenglass. Greenglas was recruited by the Rosenbergs and found guilty of providing the Soviets with secret data on the atomic bomb. While he received a reduced sentence for serving as chief witness, the Rosenbergs were sentenced to death. After their execution in 1953, they became known as the only people in the history of America to be killed for espionage during a time of peace.
McCarthyism
Joseph McCarthy
In 1950, Wisconsin Senator, Joseph McCarthy increased tensions when he made the claim that the Ohio State Department was infested with Communists. He sparked fear when he spoke of a list containing 205 names of known Communist Party members. McCarthy led a full-blown search to expose Communists in the U.S. No one was exempt from his accusations, even George Marshall (Secretary of Defense) was attacked. While many disagreed with his tactics, including President Eisenhower, it was dangerous to go against him. McCarthy, however, never gathered the necessary evidence to back his accusations. As a result, not a single Communist or spy was found during his “Red Hunt”. His downfall came when he accused the army of conspiring with Communists and the hearings were televised. People were now able to see the full extent of his madness. While this marked the decline of McCarthyism, HUAC continued its communist investigations into the late 1960s.
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