The rise of McCarthyism (2) and its effects on domestic and foreign policies of the United States Flashcards
Place the era of Mccarthyism in context
During what became known as the Cold War, the United States
and the Soviet Union vied for influence around the world. From the US’s perspective, the fear of the spread of communism and expansion of the USSR was becoming more and more heightened by the late 1940s. Influenced by the
Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin imposed what would be a year-long blockade of West Berlin from un 24, 1948 – May 12, the Communists victory in the China’s civil war in 1949, as well as the Soviets development of their first atomic bomb in August 1949, a gradual build in the perceived threat posed by Communists in US society.
Describe the role of Joseph Mccarthy as the cause of the rise of Mccarthyism
In a Wheeling, West Virginia speech on February 9, 1950, Mccarthy gave a speech in which he claimed that he had a list of 205 known members of the Communist Party working in the State Department.
- Had no real evidence but still got a lot of attention in the press
- Such serious charges led the Senate immediately to begin an investigation
- McCarthy successfully even censored all pro-communist and immoral books from the State Department Library (no real resistance to this)
Significance:
fears of communist infiltration were aroused not only in the government but in US society, precipitating the internal security act of 1950 which exacerbated the red scare
Impact:
Some schools of thought argue Mccarthy did cause the rise of Mccarthyism, he merely exploited it
.
Define Mccarthyism
McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason, especially when related to communism, without any proper regard for evidence
Describe the role of Truman’s executive order as a possible cause for the rise of McCarthyism
In March 1947, Truman established executive order 9835 which established loyalty boards and allowed them to conduct investigations of federal employees. The boards reviewed every employee, checking for past or current involvement in any “totalitarian, fascist, communist, or subversive” organization. If suspected, the employees could consult an attorney and present witnesses and documents in his favor, but had no right to challenge his accusers or even to know who they were. As anti-communist fervor swept the country, hyper-vigilant people eager to inform on their neighbors and co-workers, submitted “evidence” of disloyalty built in some cases on unsubstantiated hearsay, mistaken identity, or an old grudge. Though the boards discovered only a few employees whose loyalty could reasonably be questioned, charges and rumors of communist affiliation destroyed the reputations of many people.
Significance:
Set the stage for the rise of McCarthyism and perpetuated a fear that Joseph Mccarthy could exploit
Describe the role of the smith act of 1940 as a possible Dennis v. the United States (1951) of the rise in Mccarthyism
In 1941, members of the Socialist Workers Party in Minnesota were prosecuted under the Smith Act (made it illegal to be a member of the Communist Party), and in 1948 twelve members of the Communist Party’s Central Committee were convicted of violating the law. They raised a First Amendment free speech challenge to the law, but in Dennis v. United States (1951), the Supreme Court upheld those convictions. The Supreme court ruling affirmed that “It is the existence of the conspiracy which creates the danger…we cannot bind the Government to wait until the catalyst is added”
Significance:
- showed the clash between Freedom of Expression and ‘Anti-Communist Rhetoric’ and how the US was willing to the first amendment rights of people to fight communism.
- Though Mccarthy’s actions was the catalyst, this ruling enabled the continuity of the McCarthyism era as it was unlawful and unsafe to be anything but patrotic.
Discuss the social impact of Mccarthyism
McCarthyism chilled public discourse for a decade, making it unsafe to question political orthodoxy.
1) Education centers were heavily monitored for signs of communist support or education (by 1953, 39 states had teachers sign an “oath of loyalty”creating loyalty programmes that required school faculty members to sign loyalty oath or risk losing their jobs)
2) Yale University worked with the FBI to spy on students, academics, and job applicants
3) University of Washington dismissed 3 professors for allegedly working with the American Communist Party
- Rightist politicians thought that schools should be a ‘chapel of democracy’
4) Film was heavily censored/pressured by HUAC, or contained heavy anti-communist themes (40 Hollywood films had a communist as the main antagonist between the late 1940s to 1954)
Discuss the economic impact of McCarthyism
McCarthyism had two main results: First, thousands of Americans were dismissed from their jobs and blacklisted from future employment due
to baseless accusations fueled by a panicky witchhunt
Dicuss how McCarthyism declined
1954- McCarthy’s influence declining → regarded as a troublemaker that relied on people’s persecution fears to carry out anti-communist activites without opposition
McCarthy fall from public favour completed by his investigation into an alleged US army spy ring
McCarty singled out a respected army dentist, demanding to know why he had been promoted to the rank of major when he refused to answer questions on loyalty form
Army versus McCarthy hearing, McCarthy disrespectful conduct and lack of proof angered public and people in authority positions
McCarty formally reprimanded by the senate and his position as a prominent force in anti-communism ended
How did Mccarthyism influence domestic policies
1)In US School children around the country recited the pledge of allegiance daily. With threat of soviet “godless communism” came an increased effort by some religious groups to emphasize the importance of god in the lives of us citizens. In 1954 the pledge of allegiance was modified to include ‘under god’ after lobbying from Catholic organizations (to reinforce that communism was a godless act)
Significance: Made anti-communism a moral imperative
led the US congress passed law with Eisenhower’s signature creating a government-mandated acknowledgment of a supreme being as protection against the communist menace
2) Prominent Espionage Cases: Alger Hiss (State Dept.) was found guilty of Perjury in 1950 for passing intel to USSR in 1930s (statute of limitations saved him from treason) Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were on March 6, 1951 of espionage for their role in passing atomic secrets to the Soviets during and after World War II. They were eventually convicted sentenced to death and were executed in 1953
Perspective:
Some historians have drawn parallels with the show trials in Stalin’s purges of the 1930s.
How did Mccarthyism influence foreign policies
1) era of McCarthyism arguably influence Eisenhower to intensify US-Soviet rivalry
Eisenhower realised that America would have to surpass the USSR in producing high qualified scientists → National Defense Education Act of 1953 (indirect foreign policy) issued $900 million grant to be spent specifically on teaching languages and science and contribute towards student loans for people taking science-related courses
Impact:
This dramatically increased college enrolment. In 140 there were only 0.5mil enrolled in College, by 1960 that number was an estimated 3.6 mil
Significance:
It marked the beginning of large-scale involvement of the U.S. federal government in education.
- Also drove a space race (between US & USSR)
Present historiography on the era of Mccarthyism
According to American Howard Zinn: “The whole culture was permeated with anti-Communism”
Historian Ellen Schrecker states, “in this country, McCarthyism did more damage to the constitution than the American Communist Party ever did.”
