1.3: McCarthy

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Friday, February 15, 2008 and Monday, February
18, 2008

• TSW how did political accusations create fear
  and suspicion usher in the New Red Scare and
  McCarthyism?

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1.3 McCarthy the Cold War at Home

• Anti-Communist Hysteria Suspicion in the 1950s

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1.3 Connecting the Experience to History

• How did you feel when you discovered you had a
  blank piece of paper? A dot?
• What methods did you use to determine who had a
  dot?
• For those that had dots, how did you convince
  others you were not a dot?
• For those who were accused of being a dot, how
  did you feel? What made you fearful or
  suspicious?
• Given that there was no way to know for sure who
  was or was not a dot, why did you try so hard to
  convince others that certain class members were
  dots?
• What emotions fueled this activity? Can you think
  of any time in history when something like this
  occurred?

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1.3A McCarthyism

• What do you see here?
• This man is Sen. Joe McCarthy who promoted
  anti-Communism in the 1950s
• Why do you think he spoke out against Communism?
• How do you think the American public responded?
• Why?

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Bubble Map
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1.3A McCarthyism

• Birth of McCarthyism
• 1950 - not well-known, Republican
• barely won re-election
• sought to promote pol career by attacking
  Communism
• Feb. 12, 1950 - held a list of 205 Comm Party
  members who were working for the State Dept.
• Communist Menace in
• the Government
• entertainment industry
• education
• (HUAC) House Un-American Activities Committee

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1.3A McCarthyism

• Browbeat, bullied and berated for 4 years w/ HUAC
• are you now or have you ever been a member of
  the Communist Party?
• Refuse to testify?...Fifth Amendment Communists
• Other deemed guilty by association
• Attack Hollywoodthis means name is always in
  newspaper
• One of the most feared and powerful men in Wash.
  DC.
• Fear, suspicion, scapegoating became known as
  McCarthyism
• Carried Cold War hysteria to new heights

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1.3A McCarthyism

• Anti-Communism as a Pol. Weapon
• Democrats nervous b/c of ideology in liberal
  causes reform politics
• Democrats were labeled soft on communism
• Reds were Communists
• Pinks would gradually help lead America to
  Communism
• Even called FDRs New Deal 20 years of treason.
  Creeping Socialism

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1.3A McCarthyism

• McCarthyism the Cold War
• Prominence of McCarthyism was fueled by fears and
  tensions of the early Cold War.
• The years surrounding McCarthyism were marked
• by Cold War setbacks and
• revelations about real spies.

• 1949 China becomes Communist (1/5 world pop.)
• 1949 Alger Hiss, a top state dept official is
  tried and convicted for passing classified docs
  to the Soviets.
• 1949 The Soviet Union tested its 1st Atomic Bomb
• Several Americans, Julius and Ethyl Rosenberg,
  worked in a spy ring to pass atomic secrets to
  the Soviet Union.
• Tried and executed for treason in 1953

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1.3B Anti-Communist Sentiment in American Society

• What do you see ion this film poster?
• What is the Red Menace?
• How can you tell?
• What do you think the filmmakers purpose was in
  making this film?
• How do you think moviegoers responded to the
  films message?
• What conclusions can you draw about Americans
  cultural attitudes during the McCarthy era?
  Explain
• In this transparency we see a promotional poster
  for the film The Red Menace, a stridently
  anti-Communist film made in 1949.

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1.3B Anti-Communist Sentiment in American Society

• Anti-Communist Sentiment Pervades American Life
• Hysteria and paranoia of McCarthyism permeated Am
  society and culture
• Every aspect of society and culture was touched
  the anti-Communist fervor
• Some consequences were extreme and comical.
• However, the impact of McCarthyism was serious
  and long lasting

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Tree Map
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1.3B Anti-Communist Sentiment in American Society

• Political Discourse
• American politics swung heavily to the right,
  Republican and conservative.
• Proposals by Democrats to increase the govt role
  in any program was viewed as leading to RED.
  (Creeping Socialism.)
• 1948 - Trumans proposal for health care was
  defeated.
• Communists favored compulsory health insurance.
• 1950s - Jonas Salk invented the Polio vaccine, it
  was suggested that all school age children be
  vaccinated for free.
• However, Eisenhowers secy of health, argued
  against vaccinating saying it would be
  socialized medicine through the back door.
• Govt Funding for vaccinations cut by 70

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1.3B Anti-Communist Sentiment in American Society

• Lawmaking
• In Texas, membership in the Comm Party was a
  felony and punishable by 20 years in prison.
• The governor vetoed the bill, calling for death.
• NY City, fisherman had to pledge their loyalty to
  the US to get their fishing license.
• Indiana, wrestlers took a loyalty oath to get
  their license to wrestle.
• Federal LevelCommunist Control Act of 54 -
  illegal to be a member of the Comm Party.
• 6 Concentration camps scattered around the
  country to house suspected Communists

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1.3B Anti-Communist Sentiment in American Society

• Education
• Anti-Communist hysteria heavily impacted
  education.
• Teachers/Professors required to tale loyalty
  oaths.
• Textbooks emphasized patriotic themes, promoted
  anti-RED propaganda
• High Schools told students to report suspicious
  behavior.
• Un-American books were banned and removed from
  libraries.

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1.3B Anti-Communist Sentiment in American Society

• The Film Industry
• Prime target.
• Constantly attacked by HUAC
• Writers, producers, actors and directors tried to
  defend themselves, but ruined their career.
• Blacklisted - banished from working in the
  industry.
• John Wayne Gary Cooper , Walt Disney founded
  Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of
  American Ideals.
• co-existence is a myth and neutrality impossible
  anyone who is not fighting Communism is helping
  Communism.

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1.3B Anti-Communist Sentiment in American Society

• The Film Industry
• Film studios churned numerous anti-Communist
  films
• The Iron Curtain, The Red Menace, The Steel Fist.
• 1952, 12 anti-Communist movies were made

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• What do you see here?
• If this cartoon were in color, what color do you
  think the paint would be? Why?
• What do you think the cartoon is saying about
  what will happen to McCarthy next?
• How do you think the cartoonist felt about
  McCarthy?

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1.3C The End of McCarthyism

• McCarthy Falls
• Despite all of the hysteria, NO conspirators were
  ever found.
• McCarthy Never proved his conspiracy theory.
• Political power waned, supporters abandoned him.
• Finally overreached himself when he shouted at a
  general on TV
• You are a disgrace to the uniform. Youre
  shielding communist conspirators Youre not fit
  to be an officer. Youre ignorant.
• He ranted, raved, and even appeared to slur his
  speech as if he was drunk.

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1.3C The End of McCarthyism

• McCarthy Falls
• American s grew tired of his bullying tactics.
• He disgraced general, congressman, Pres.
  Eisenhower.
• He was censured by the Senate, 67-22
• Died of liver failure 3 years later in 1957