P6 - McCarthyism + UN 1949-55

Red scare

fear of communism, causing paranoia, with ppl wanting change to feel safer

Alger Hiss

Was a department official, being a member of Roosevelts gov

-Chambers (ex communist) told HUAC about the allegations in 1930s, and had evidence of the “Pumpkin Papers” -the secret info Hiss used to pass to him

-convicted of his involvement involving in providing the details of the A-Bomb to the USSR, and charged with perjury

House of Un-American activities Comittee

HUAC investigated allegations of communist in the US

-cases fuelled paranoia against communism

focused on Hollywood, as thought due to the great depressions would increase appeal to actors e.g. 40 ppl told to appear at HUAC, with 10 ppl openly challenging HUACS legitimacy

Loyalty Boards

Set in Federal departments to test loyalty of the individual

-if there were reasonable grounds of doubt in loyalty, the employee would be dismissed

Joseph McCarthy

Publicly liked suggesting the “US had enemies within”, creating paranoia, saying he had a list of members linked to the CP

Hollywood Ten

OCT 1947 - 10 ppl in Hollywood spoke out against HUAC actions, enouncing it goes against their civil rights

-they received jail time and banned to work at major Hollywood studios, and even screenwriters didn’t want to associate with the “affiliated”

Blacklist ended in 1960s

Influence on US foreign policy

-aware of public concern of spread of communism

McCarthyism Pressured Truman, aiding him in to focus on Asia, in the Far east, as felt it was more threatening there. e.g. china and Korea

also communist china 1949 pressured this situation

also linking the response of Truman to the Korean war, with blame from McCarthy saying he looked apathetic

United Nations

formed 1949, with focus on maintaining international peace and security by containing issues

used in the Korean War, with USSR absence, due to communist china not having involvement

US, FR, CH, BR, USSR had ability to Veto decisions

China isolation

After the treaty with the USSR, China were left to develop on their own

USSR only allied with China to secure communism in the Far east, which would shift US focus here, and not in the EU

-USSR didn’t support China conforming the isolation, as well as their reduced international status