Political Developments: Issues faced by Truman - McCarthyism Flashcards
What year did McCarthy make his claims?
1950
What did McCarthy say in his claims in 1950?
He said he had the names of 200 State Department employees that were Communists
What was the reality with Communist party membership peaks?
They never went above 100,000 members
How many members did the Communist Party have in 1945?
80,000 members
What does HUAC stand for?
House of Un-American Activities Commission
What Executive Order to manage Communism did Truman pass in 1947?
Executive Order 9835
What did Executive Order 9835 do?
It gave the Federal Government permission to investigate Communism in their government
What was the purpose of the House of Un-American Activities Commission?
To investigate Communism in America
Which act had been passed in what year under FDR to make it illegal to say you were going to overthrow the government?
Smith Act, 1940
Between which years were 3000 federal employees fired due to Executive Order 9835?
1947-1951
How many federal employees resigned from 1947-51 due to Executive Order 9835?
6000 employees
How many Communist party leaders were prosecuted under the 1940 Smith Act?
11
Which prominent Democrat politician was accused of being a Communist?
Henry Wallace
What did HUAC find in 1948?
They found a Communist State Department member
What did HUAC find in 1950?
They found an American scientist giving information to Moscow on how to make atomic bombs
What year did the USSR successfully test their first atomic bomb?
1949
What secret report was made in 1950?
NSC-68
What did NSC-68 do?
It increased spending on national security
Name 2 organisations that saw expansion due to NSC-68
FBI, CIA
How can it be seen McCarthy became a prominent individual in terms of which war hero he accused?
McCarthy accused George Marshall of being a Communist
What had been created in the USA due to McCarthyism?
A Red Scare
What problem did McCarthy face in his personal life?
He had a drinking problem
What happened with McCarthy on live television in 1954?
He was seen to be drunk during a case
What was the reality with many of McCarthy’s claims of Communist State Department employees?
There was no evidence to support it
