The Red Scare Flashcards
What was the main purpose of the Potsdam Conference in July 1945?
Determine the post-war order, including the division of Germany & demanding Japan’s surrender.
Purpose of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)?
To investigate suspected communist influences in the U.S.
What was the Iron Curtain?
Metaphor used by Winston Churchill / Described the division between communist East Europe & democratic Western Europe.
Who were the Hollywood Ten?
Group of writers & directors jailed in 1947 for refusing to answer HUAC’s questions abt communism
What happened to the Hollywood Ten after their prison sentences?
Blacklisted by Hollywood, preventing them from working in the industry.
Which famous figures were blacklisted during HUAC’s investigations?
Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welles.
Who was Alger Hiss, and what was he accused of?
Former State Department official accused of espionage by Whittaker Chambers & Elizabeth Bentley.
What evidence was used against Mr.Hiss?
Microfilm hidden in a pumpkin (the “Pumpkin Papers”) & accusations of espionage.
Why wasn’t Hiss convicted of espionage?
Handwriting analysis couldn’t confirm he wrote incriminating letters, so he was convicted only of perjury.
Who were the nuclear spies & what happened to them?
Julius & Ethel Rosenberg, who provided nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union & were executed in June 1953.
What was McCarthyism?
Political practice of making accusations of communism w/ little or no evidence.
What was the Army-McCarthy Hearings about?
Sen. Joseph McCarthy accused U.S. Army of harboring Soviet spies, but the Army denied it repeatedly.
How did television impact McCarthy’s downfall?
The TV hearings exposed his aggressive & baseless accusations, leading to his condemnation.
What did Joseph Welch famously say to McCarthy?
“Have you no sense of decency, sir?” / Marked McCarthy’s decline.
What was the Lavender Scare?
Purge of LGBTQ individuals from fed agencies, as they were falsely linked to communism.
Who were the candidates in the 1948 presidential election?
Harry Truman (Democrat) vs. Thomas E. Dewey (Republican).
What stance did the Republican National Convention take on civil rights?
Called for desegregation of the military and supported Israel as a national country.
Why didn’t the Democratic National Convention push for civil rights?
They avoided it due to support for Jim Crow laws.
How did Dewey approach his campaign?
He barely campaigned and gave lackluster speeches without clear stances.
How did Truman campaign?
He actively campaigned, believing he could win despite the odds.
What mistake did the Chicago Tribune make on election night?
They prematurely printed a headline saying Dewey won, but Truman actually won.
What was the role of the President’s Committee on Civil Rights?
It investigated civil rights issues & proposed measures to strengthen them.
What key policies did the Committee propose?.
A permanent Civil Rights Commission, a Civil Rights division in Congress and the DOJ, a federal anti-lynching law, and the Fair Employment Practices Commission.
What did Executive Orders 9980 and 9981 do?
EO 9980 desegregated the federal workforce, and EO 9981 desegregated the U.S. military (1948).
When did the Marine Corps start integrating?
In 1949, with full integration by 1950.
How did the Navy integrate Black soldiers?
From 1942-1944, they first served in harbors before being allowed on ships.
When was the Air Force established, and was it integrated?
A: In 1947, and it was integrated from the start.
What was the Dixiecrat stance on segregation?
A: They wanted enlistees to have a choice to be in segregated units.
What was the Dixiecrat slogan?
A: “Segregation forever.”
What was the “Culture of Conformity” in the 1950s?
A: A focus on American prosperity and avoiding racial tensions due to Cold War fears.
What major programs helped suburbanization?
A: HULC (home refinancing), FHA (mortgage insurance), and the GI Bill (low-interest loans & benefits).
What was “White Flight”?
A: White families moved to suburbs, leaving cities to decay as minorities were left behind.
How did consumerism shape the 1950s?
A: People defined themselves by what they owned, and advertising exploded.
What was the Beatnik movement?
A: A 1950s counterculture criticizing materialism, promoting personal freedom, and inspiring hippie culture.
How did the concept of teenagers change in the 1950s?
A: Unlike pre-WWII, teens now had free time, a growing dating scene, and rock ‘n’ roll influences.
