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History - The Cold War - Part 1 > The Widening Of The Cold War (3) > Flashcards

The Widening Of The Cold War (3) Flashcards

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1
Q

Why were tensions increasing in the USA up to 1953?

A
  • Communism spread through E.Europe (by 1948)
  • USSR successful test of atomic bomb (1949)
  • Fall of China to communism (1949)
  • Sino-Soviet Pact (1950)
  • Korean War (1950-3)
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2
Q

Who was a key US figure in accelerating the Red Scare?

A

Joseph McCarthy

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3
Q

What was the Red Scare? When was it?

A

Fear of spread of communism within the USA (internal subversion)
- Peaked 1947-1957 in USA

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4
Q

Who was Joseph McCarthy?

A

Republican senator from Wisconsin

  • Became increasingly worried about his 1952 reelection
  • Started to whip up anti-communist sentiment (enhance the Red Scare) + present himself as an aggressive anti-communist in hope to win favour of the people
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5
Q

Briefly outline the rise of Joseph McCarthy into public influence

A
  • Started anti-communist strong outlook
  • Feb 1950: Famous Lincoln Day Speech (West Virginia) claiming there were 205 communists working in the State Department
  • Subcommittee led by Senator Tydings investigated his claims, denounced him + had a hearing for McCarthy (in which McCarthy tried to recover by naming Lattimore as ‘biggest Soviet spy’)
  • Given more power (chair of ‘Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations’ for investigating communist activity) when Eisenhower elected
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6
Q

What were McCarthy’s main claims?

A
  • There was a global communist plot that threatened USA
  • US State Dep had been heavily infiltrated by communists
  • US film industry had been heavily infiltrated by communists
  • US army had been infiltrated by communists
  • Truman’s Democratic administration too ‘soft’ on communism
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7
Q

What was McCarthy’s extreme anti-communist pursuit known as?

A

McCarthy’s Witch Hunt

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8
Q

What was McCarthyism?

A

Making (unsupported) accusations about subversion or treason, particularly related to communism, that increase public fear

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9
Q

Who was Lattimore?

A

US advisor accused by McCarthy of being the ‘biggest Soviet spy’

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10
Q

What happened to the Red Scare in the US after mid-late 1950s?

A
  • Became less prominent

- Still negativity towards communists but less irrational fear that communists were infiltrating everywhere

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11
Q

Briefly outline the fall of Joseph McCarthy from public influence

A
  • His ‘Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations’ went too far, becoming too aggressive + condemning everyone
  • Influential people began to condemn his actions
  • Fall from power catalysed in 1954: Claimed ‘Reds’ had infiltrated the US army, accusing 45 officers in front of 20 mill Americans watching on TV
  • He had lost public support
  • Senate condemned him for improper conduct + voted on censure (67 to 22)
  • Died of alcoholism in 1957
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12
Q

Who was somebody who publicly disliked McCarthy?

A

Murrow (TV broadcaster)

  • Episode of ‘See it Now’ (March 1954)
  • Exposed McCarthy’s unjustified methods
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13
Q

Who was somebody who publicly liked McCarthy?

A

Hoover (Head of FBI)

  • Said people were questioning US way of life
  • Particularly blamed teachers (‘reducators’)
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14
Q

What are two case studies that can be used to exemplify the Red Scare?

A
  • The Alger Hiss Case (1948)

- The Rosenberg Case (1950)

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15
Q

What was Red Baiting? Give an example

A

Labelling somebody as ‘communist’ to damage reputation

  • E.g. Nixon got campaigners to randomly ring members of public to say his opponent Voorhis was a communist (Nixon won)
  • E.g. Lots of left-wing politicians (such as those who supported the New Deal) were labelled communist
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16
Q

What were some domestic actions taken by the US gov during the Red Scare in attempt to reduce internal communism?

A
  • Smith Act (1940)
  • The House of Un-American Activities Committee (1938, perm 1945)
  • ‘Loyalty Order’ (1947)
  • ‘McCarran Act’ (1950)
17
Q

What was the Smith Act + how did it attempt to reduce internal communism in the USA?

A

Smith Act (1940)

  • Outlawed joining an organisation advocating overthrowing the US gov (with particular focus on Communist Parties)
  • Took fingerprints of all ‘aliens’ (communists) over 14
  • Produced booklets in 1948 to help identify + deal with communists
  • Approx 5 mill aliens registered in first 4 months
  • 12 key Communist Party members tried + convicted
18
Q

What was the House of Un-American Activities Committee + how did it attempt to reduce internal communism in the USA?

A

House of Un-American Activities Committee
(Started 1938. Permanent fixture from 1945)
- Investigated subversion in US (originally by Nazis, then communists)

  • Used large scale in the Hollywood Film Industry - thought to be spreading communist propaganda in films (E.g. Charlie Chaplin)
19
Q

What was the ‘Loyalty Order’ + how did it attempt to reduce internal communism in the USA?

A

‘Loyalty Order’ (1947)

  • Investigated gov employees + dismissed those ‘disloyal’ to US
  • Loyalty Review Boards did investigating (approx 3.2 mill gov employees investigated - 212 dismissed, 3000 resigned to escape investigation)
  • Attorney General’s List (1947) published 91 suspected subversive organisations
20
Q

What was the ‘McCarran Act’ + how did it attempt to reduce internal communism in the USA?

A

‘McCarran Act’ (1950)

  • Outlawed planning any action that may lead to establishment of a totalitarian dictatorship in the USA
  • All communists/communist organisations registers + fingerprinted
  • Communist rights restricted: no US passport, can’t work for US defence
21
Q

Why did Truman veto the McCarran Act? Did it get passed anyway?

A
  • Thought it made a mockery of the Bill of Rights (restricted communists’ rights
  • Got passed anyway (Congress overruled)
22
Q

Briefly outline the Alger Hiss case

A

Alger Hiss case (1948)

  • Alger Hiss = respected, key member of Roosevelt’s pre-war gov
  • Convicted (by Whittaker Chambers - FBI communist finding agent + former communist) of being a communist + Soviet spy
  • ‘The Pumpkin Papers’ (microfilm of gov docs that Chambers said Hiss gave to him to pass to Soviets) incriminated Hiss
  • Hiss charged of perjury (lying under oath) in 1950 - too late for spy
  • Maintained innocence
  • Soviet cables released in 1990 prove WAS communist + spy
23
Q

Briefly outline the Rosenberg case

A

Rosenberg case (1950)

  • Rosenberg couple executed in 1953 after convicted of organising a spy ring of people to pass info to Soviets
  • Found as a member of the ring Mr Greenglass was part of Klaus Fuch’s confession
  • Klaus Fuchs was a German born physicist who admitted to passing info to Soviets during the Manhattan Project (helped Soviets develop atomic bomb faster)
24
Q

What do the Alger Hiss + Rosenberg cases show?

A

There was some validity to the Red Scare

25
Q

Which country strove to dominate the UN?

A

USA

26
Q

Why did the USA want to dominate the UN?

A

So it could be used to fulfil their own goals (under the mask of a peacemaking organisation) + gain help from others (resources + approval)

27
Q

What event is an example of the USA using the UN to their advantage?

A

Korean War

  • UN legitimised US intervention
  • UN provided help (resources + approval) from other countries
28
Q

Which state was often seen as the “world’s policeman”? What does this mean?

A

USA

- Seen as the military superpower responsible for leading the defence of the free world

29
Q

In what ways can the USA’s dominance of the UN be seen?

A 
Location: 
- NYC 
Funding: 
- Organisation largely funded by USA
Membership: 
- In 1950 there were 60 members, mostly capitalist, pro-Western states (e.g. only E.European state was Poland)
30
Q

What was the UN Security Council? Who were members?

A

Group within the UN holding executive decision making powers

  • USA
  • Britain
  • France
  • China (nationalists)
  • USSR
31
Q

What was the only thing stopping the USA having complete dominance over the UN?

A

The USSR + their power to veto in the Security Council

32
Q

What was the pattern of vetoes from UN Security Council members between 1946 and 1955?

A 
USA = 0 
Britain = 0
France = 2
China (nationalists) = 1
USSR = 75
33
Q

What type of alliances did the USA seek in addition to trying to dominate the UN?

A

Regional alliances (e.g. SEATO)

34
Q

What played the greatest role in the isolation of the PRC?

A

Sino-Soviet Pact (1950) - isolated PRC from both allies

35
Q

How did the Sino-Soviet Pact (1950) isolate the PRC from the East?

A
  • Stalin staged the pact as a friendly alliance
  • He remained cautious of PRC
  • Pact prevented PRC from growing independently to become a communist power, as they were limited by the guidance of their new ‘ally’ (e.g. USSR advised PRC to enter Korean War, lost many men)
36
Q

How did the Sino-Soviet Pact (1950) isolate the PRC from the West?

A
  • USA saw PRC as a greater threat, working with the Soviets

- They worked to isolate the communist PRC from the West (e.g. didn’t give it UN recognition or include it in SEATO)

History - The Cold War - Part 1 (8 decks)

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