The Cold War at Home Flashcards
How many Americans claimed loyalty to the Communist Party
80,000
What did Anti Communist Republicans accuse Truman of
being soft on communism
What was teh Federal Employee Loyalty Program
Included the loyalty review board which investigated federal employee loyalty
What did the US attorney general do?
Drew us a list of a suspicious organization
What happened with the loyalty review board
3.2 million investigated
210 dismissed
2900 quit
What was the HUAC
House Un American Activities Commitee investigated communist influence outside the government
What did the Huac believe ?
That communist were sneaking propoganda into films such as pro-Soviet films
How many witneses were subpoenad in Sept 1947
43 from Hollywood
What did the friendly witneses do?
Supported accusation that communists snuck propoganda into films
Who were the 10 Hollywood witnesses?
People who were called to testify they were unfriendly and they refused to answer questions and were sent to prison (HOLLYWOOD 10)
What is a blacklist
A list of people whom they commended for having a communist background
What happened to people who were blacklisted?
500 actors had their careers ruined
What wa the McCarran Internal Security Act
It made it wnlawful to plan any action that might lead to the establishment of a totalitarian dictatorship in the US
What did Truman do to the McCarran
Vetoed it. He said that in a afree country you didn’t judge opinions
What did congress do to the bill
Passed it
Who accused Alger Hiss
IN 1948, a former communist Whittaker Chambers
How did Chambers provide evidence
He showed microfilm of govt documents that were on his typewriter
What were problems that the jury had
Too many years had passed for the govt to charge him with espionage
What was Hiss charged with
Perjury
Which Republican congrassman gained faim for persuing charges against hiss
Richard Nixon
Although Hiss denied the charges Soviet Cables showed what
He was guilty
On September, 3, 1949Americans learned that
The Soviets exploded an atomic bomb
What did people think
They wondered if Communist supporters in the US had leaked the secret
In 1950, the Germany born physiist Klaus Fuchs admitted giving the Soviet Unin admitted
giving the Soviets information
The information probably enabled Soviets Scientists to developed. Implicated in this case were Ethel and Julius Rosenberg:
minor Activists in the communist party
When asked if they were communists, what did the Rosenberrgs do
denied the charges against themselves and pleaded the 5th amendment
What did they claim:
They were being persecuted for holding radical beliefs and being Jewish
What happened to the Rosenbergs
They were found guilty of espionage and sentanced to death
What did people all over the world do for the Rosenberg?
They appealed to the clemency for the couple. Many considered the evidence and the testimony too weak for the death sentance
What did the US Supreme Court do?
The case was appealed but the Court refused and to overturn th econviction
What was the month that the Rosenbergs were executed
July, 1953
Who was the most famous anti Communist activist
Senator Joseph McCarthy
What reputation did McCarthy do
he was an ineffective legislator. He realized that he was going to need a winning issue so he Charged the communists were taking over the government
What was the McCarthyism
he made the unfair accusation about Communism to people. McCarthyism was the unfair tactic of accusing people of disloyatly without providing evidence.
At various times, McCarthy claimed to have in his hands the names of
57, 81, 205 people in the state departemt who were Communists ( he couldnt produce names)
Even though McCarthy accused the Democrats for 20 years of treason, why did the Republicans not do anything to stop this?
Because they it helped them. He was not issued with slandar
What happened to McCarhty
He accused the US Army of being communist. Then he had a downfall
What were laws that went against communis
Made it illegal to speak out against the government. Violated rights
