The Second Red Scare

Red Scare After World War II

Causes and Effects of the Second Red Scare

  • The Second Red Scare, occurring after World War II, focused on rooting out Soviet communism within the United States.

Efforts to Combat Communism

  • Loyalty Pledges:
    • Labor unions and federal government required individuals to pledge loyalty to the U.S. and deny communist affiliation.
  • Taft-Hartley Act of 1947:
    • Passed in response to labor strikes.
    • Made striking more difficult for workers.
    • Required union leaders to pledge they were not members of the Communist Party.
  • Federal Employee Loyalty and Security Program (1947):
    • Executive order from Truman.
    • Federal employees had to swear they were not communist or fascist.
    • Allowed for investigations into political affiliations of federal workers.
  • House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC):
    • Searched for communist influence in American society, especially Hollywood.
    • Feared the film industry could spread communist messages.

Hollywood Ten

  • In 1947, ten Hollywood directors were accused of being communists.
  • They were summoned to testify before Congress but refused.
  • Consequences:
    • Held in contempt of Congress.
    • Received short prison sentences.
    • Blacklisted, preventing them from working in the film industry.

Senator Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism

  • Joseph McCarthy's Rise:
    • In 1950, McCarthy claimed to have a list of 205 communists in the State Department.
    • This accusation propelled him into the public eye and intensified fears of widespread communist infiltration.
  • McCarthy's Claims:
    • Later revised the number to 57, but the initial impact had already created mass hysteria.
  • McCarthyism:
    • The Red Scare was significantly amplified by McCarthy's actions, leading to the term "McCarthyism."
  • Downfall of McCarthy:
    • The Senate held meetings to pressure McCarthy to provide evidence for his claims.
    • Unable to substantiate his accusations, the Senate voted to censure him.
    • His career declined rapidly and disgracefully.

The Rosenberg Case

  • Background:
    • On August 29, 1949, the Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb.
    • Many Americans believed the Soviets had stolen U.S. scientific information.
  • Accusation:
    • Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were accused of espionage.
    • They were members of the Communist Party.
  • Outcome:
    • Executed in the electric chair in 1953.
    • Subsequent research indicated that Julius was indeed a Soviet spy.

Effects of the Red Scare

  • Suppression of labor unions' freedom.
  • Blacklisting of Hollywood directors.
  • Increased Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States.

Anti-communist federal laws and widespread fear led to these pervasive effects.