Ray Bradbury

1
Ray Bradbury
And the McCarthy Era
2
After World War II
3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
The western world was divided between the two
strongest survivors . . .
6
(No Transcript)
7
(No Transcript)
8
In the post-war era, the two super powers entered
a standoff that lasted 45 years.
9
Then something happened . . .
10
(No Transcript)
11
Back in the 40s and 50s things werent so hot
12
Each side thought the other was capable of this .
. .
13
(No Transcript)
14
This made everyone living here . . .
15
(No Transcript)
16
And here . . .
17
(No Transcript)
18
Not to mention the people who were living here...
19
(No Transcript)
20
Very, VERY nervous.
21
In 1938 a U.S. congressman named Martin Dies
founded the House of UnAmerican Activities
Committee (HUAC).
22
(No Transcript)
23
The HUAC investigated people suspected of
unpatriotic behavior, and firmly believed that
they were the best vehicle to discover if people
were trying to overthrow the government.
24
On June 29, 1940 Congress passed The Alien
Registration Act. The Act made it illegal for
anyone in the U.S to advocate, abet, or teach the
desirability of overthrowing the government.
25
How conveeeeeeeeeeeenient
26
Considering how serious so many people were about
American history...
27
(No Transcript)
28
The Alien Registration Act seemed pretty silly.
29
The HAUC knew that the American Communist Party
held regular meetings in towns and cities across
the country, but they had no idea exactly when
and where the meetings were held.
30
Nor did they have the foggiest notion of what the
Party members discussed.
31
(No Transcript)
32
People who were suspected of attending or even
hearing about these meetings were called before
the HUAC.
33
(No Transcript)
34
Many Americans suspected of communist sympathies
were ruined by their mere mention at HUAC
hearings.
35
BLACK LIST status crippled many citizens. They
lost jobs, couldnt find new ones, nor could they
find anyone willing to risk their own reputations
to help them.
36
For the first time, average, white, middle-class
American citizens found out how other American
citizens live.
37
(No Transcript)
38
In the late 1940s Holly wood producers, directors
and financiers were called before the HUAC. Which
is probably why the hearings drew so much
attention.
39
(No Transcript)
40
On 9th February, 1950, Joseph McCarthy, a senator
from Wisconsin, made a speech claiming to have a
list of 205 people in the State Department known
to be members of the American Communist Party.
41
(No Transcript)
42
The list of names was not a secret and had been
in fact published by the Secretary of State in
1946. These people had been identified during a
preliminary screening of 3,000 federal employees.
Some had been communists but others had been
fascists, alcoholics and sexual deviants. If
screened, McCarthy's own drink problems and
sexual preferences would have resulted in him
being put on the list.
43
(No Transcript)
44
With the war going badly in Korea and communist
advances in Eastern Europe and in China, the
American public were genuinely frightened about
the possibilities of internal subversion.
McCarthy, was made chairman of the Government
Committee on Operations of the Senate, and this
gave him the opportunity to investigate the
possibility of communist subversion.
45
(No Transcript)
46
For the next two years McCarthy's committee
investigated various government departments and
questioned a large number of people about their
political past. Some lost their jobs after they
admitted they had been members of the Communist
Party. McCarthy made it clear to the witnesses
that the only way of showing that they had
abandoned their left-wing views was by naming
other members of the party.
47
The term often applied to such a proceeding is
48
Witch-hunt
49
A famous play was written at this time
A famous play was written at this time
50
(No Transcript)
51
This play is about a real witch-hunt.
52
Go figure?
53
One of McCarthys grand schemes was combing the
nations libraries for what he considered
subversive publications.
54
His researchers looked into the Overseas Library
Program and discovered 30,00 books by
communists, pro-communists, former communists
and anti-communists.
55
After the publication of this list, these books
were removed from the library shelves.
56
Considering how serious so many people were about
history...
57
(No Transcript)
58
This seemed pretty silly.
59
Another infamous novel was published at this time
60
Bet you cant guess!?!
61
(No Transcript)
62
(No Transcript)
63
(No Transcript)
64
Eventually, Dwight Eisenhower (President at the
time) grew tired of McCarthys games.
65
(No Transcript)
66
Eisenhower pressured his staff, including then
Vice, Richard Nixon to openly criticize
McCarthys methods.
67
Men who have in the past done effective work
exposing Communists in this country have, by
reckless talk and questionable methods, made
themselves the issue rather than the cause they
believe in so deeply. - Richard Nixon (1954)
68
You know you suck when Nixons disappointed!!!
69
(No Transcript)
70
The End