The Second Red Scare and McCarthyism

The Second Red Scare After World War II

  • The Second Red Scare occurred after World War II, distinct from the one during World War I.
  • It was driven by fear of Soviet communism spreading within the United States.

Efforts to Root Out Communism

  • Efforts focused on labor unions and the federal government.
  • Individuals were required to pledge loyalty to the United States and deny communist affiliations.

Taft-Hartley Act of 1947

  • Passed in response to widespread labor union strikes.
  • Made it more difficult for workers to strike.
  • Union leaders had to pledge they were not members of the Communist Party.

Federal Employee Loyalty and Security Program

  • Established by President Truman via executive order in 1947.
  • Federal employees had to swear they were not communist or fascist.
  • Allowed for federal investigations into employees' affiliations.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

  • Formed in the House of Representatives to seek out communist influence in American society.
  • Focused heavily on Hollywood, fearing communist messages in films.
The Hollywood Ten
  • In 1947, ten prominent Hollywood directors were identified as communists.
  • They were summoned to testify before Congress but refused.
  • Cited for contempt of Congress, they received short prison sentences and were blacklisted from the film industry.

Senator Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism

  • Senator Joseph McCarthy gained prominence in 1950 after claiming to have a list of 205 communists in the State Department.
  • This assertion heightened fears that communists had infiltrated American society.
  • Later, McCarthy revised the number to 57, but the initial impact was significant.
  • The Red Scare intensified by McCarthy's actions is often called McCarthyism.

McCarthy's Downfall

  • McCarthy never publicly revealed the names he claimed to possess.
  • Under pressure to provide evidence, Senate meetings were held to test his claims.
  • McCarthy failed to substantiate his accusations, leading the Senate to censure him.
  • His reputation declined rapidly after the censure.

The Rosenberg Case

  • On August 29, 1949, the Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb.
  • Suspicion arose that the Soviets had stolen scientific information from the United States.
  • Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, members of the Communist Party, were accused of espionage related to the stolen atomic plans.
  • They were convicted and executed in the electric chair in 1953.
  • Later research indicated that Julius was indeed a Soviet spy.

Effects of the Red Scare

  • Anti-communist federal laws and widespread fear curtailed the freedom of labor unions.
  • Hollywood directors were blacklisted and lost employment.
  • Increased Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States.