The McCarthy Era

1
The McCarthy Era A Time of Suspicion!
2
FEAR

• OF NUCLEAR ATTACK
• COMMUNIST TAKE OVER
• COMMUNISTS INFILTRATING GOVERNMENT

3
JOSEPH McCARTHY

• Came to Power in the SENATE
• Accused many govt employees of being COMMUNISTS
• American People support him out of FEAR
• Want communists out of govt positions.

4
(No Transcript)
5
Thomas Are you a member of the Communist Party
or have you ever been a member of the Communist
Party?Lawson It's unfortunate and tragic that I
have to teach this committee the basic principles
of Americanism.Thomas That's not the question.
That's not the question. The question ishave you
ever been a member of the Communist
Party?Lawson I am framing my answer in the only
way in which any American citizen can frame his
answer to...Thomas Then you deny it?Lawson
...a question that invades his...absolutely
invades his privacy.Thomas Then you deny... You
refuse to answer that question, is that correct?
6
Lawson I have told you that I will offer my
beliefs, my affiliations and everything else to
the American public and they will know where I
stand as they do from what I have
written. Thomas Stand away from the
stand...Lawson I have written for Americanism
for many years...Thomas Stand away from the
stand...Lawson And I shall continue to fight
for the Bill of Rights, which you are trying to
destroy.Thomas Officer, take this man away from
the stand.192
7
LEGACY OF HUAC THE McCARTHY HEARINGS

• HUNDREDS OF GOVT WORKERS LOSE THEIR JOBS.
• MANY IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY BECOME
  BLACKLISTED
• AGE OF SUPPRESSION OF IDEAS OPEN DISCUSSION

8
House of UnAmerican Activities Committee

• FILMS HAD POWER TO CORRUPT AMERICAN PEOPLE
• BEGAN INVESTIGATING FILM INDUSTRY FOR DISLOYALTY
• HOLLYWOOD 10
• WRITERS, ACTORS, DIRECTORS, AND PRODUCERS JAILED
  FOR CONTEMPT.
• ALL DISCHARGED WHEN THEY REFUSED TO ANSWER
  COMMITTEE QUESTIONS.

9
WHO WAS IN CHARGE?

• CHAIRMAN J. Parnell Thomas
• ASKS THEM
• ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN A MEMBER OF
  THE COMMUNIST PARTY?

10
WHY?

• Why were Americans willing to suspend the Bill of
  Rights to fight Communism?
• What were they afraid of?
• What were they trying to protect?
• What did fear drive some Americans to do?

11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
MEET THE ROSENBERGS
14
WHY WERE THEY ARRESTED?

• Former members of the U.S. Communist Party
• Inactive for some time.
• Accused of espionage (giving Soviets the secrets
  to the A-Bomb)

15
Rosenberg's cont..

• Both denied the charges claimed that they were
  being targeted because they were Jewish.
• Died by electric chair in 1953.
• First spies to be killed.

16
DOWNFALL OF HUAC

• McCarthy becomes reckless
• Makes wild accusations against ARMY REPS.
• Hearings are televised for 36 Days.
• By April 1954, Public is FED UP
• Stays in SENATE, yet loses his power and dies in
  1957.