The Red Scare And Mccarthyism Flashcards
What happened to the Rosenbergs?
They were convicted of passing American nuclear secrets to the ussr. Their judge Jerome frank was a leading liberal judge who was terrorised himself and frightened the atmosphere of fear in the country, if he had done something to save their lives, he would be charged as a commie.
By 1950, why was the USA under pressure from the perceived threat of communism?
USSR had successfully tested atomic technology in 1949, the same yr china became a communist state. 1950, china formed an alliance with the ussr, and the nsc- 68 warned that the cw was a real war in which the survival of the free world was at stake and therefore Americans must show their ingenuity, sacrifice and unity
What was the red scare?
Hysterical fear of communism infiltrating the daily lives of Americans as a result of the failed containment in Asia, and the success of the domino theory in east Asia with nk and china turning communist.
Growing mood of anti communism amongst the general us public
What was the house of un-American activities committee?
A committee that investigated communist infiltration in the us society s.g Hollywood filmmakers,teachers and civil servants
Who was convicted of perjury and lied about passing on info to the USSR while working for the us state department?
Alger hiss
How did Alger hiss perjury lead to Truman being criticised?
He was too soft on communism and being responsible for the loss of china, radicalised by the us republican senator Joseph mccarthy
Who was hoover and how did he often refer to teachers?
He was the head of the fbi and called them reducators
How did the us policy move away from a Eurocentric focus?
Moved to a more determined Asia first viewpoint
What did McCarthyism and Asia first indirectly strengthen?
Nato bc Britain feared that it would destabilise Europe and make the communist threat less secure
Why did victims of huac fed the popular communist paranoia?
Often perfectly innocent but served as sacrificial victims that fed the popular paranoia
