The Red Scare (1950s)

1. HUAC

The HUAC investigated the movie industry for Communist influence, and pointed to the pro-communist movies made in World War II to support alliance with the USSR. Most accused people agreed that the film industry was infiltrated by communism, but some, like the Hollywood 10, refused to cooperate and were jailed.

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2. Blacklist

The blacklist accused certain people of communistic activities or beliefs and condemned them. Their careers would be ruined because they could not work.

3. Alger Hiss

Alger Hiss was the subject of a largely publicized case. He was accused of being a Soviet spy, and former Soviet spy Whittaker Chambers tried to prove it by presenting documents supposedly printer on Hiss's typewriter. Hiss was jailed for perjury because they believed he lied about the documents.

4. Ethel and Julius Rosenberg

Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were accused of leaking information about the atomic bomb to the Soviets, enabling the USSR to develop their own atomic bomb 3 to 5 years earlier than expected. The two were sentenced to death.

5. Joseph McCarthy

Joseph McCarthy made many unsupported accusations at countless people, and claimed that communism had infiltrated the US government. These accusations were just so he could gain a reputation in order to be reelected into his position again.

6. McCarthyism

Multiple, rapid accusations of communistic actions. It was an unfair tactic of accusing people of disloyalty without any evidence of proof against them.

7. In a paragraph, describe the motivations and actions of Joseph McCarthy during the 1950s. What prompted his actions? What did he do? What happened as a result of his actions?

Joseph McCarthy's actions were totally irrational and selfish. He had not been a good senator during his term, so he was afraid that he wouldn't be reelected into another term. In an attempt to gain reputation so he can get reelected, he tried to make people believe that he was doing something against communism and had information about it. He made multiple unsupported accusations against many people in the government, and claimed he had a list of communists in the government. Eventually, he made accusations against the US Army, which led to a large investigation that revealed McCarthy's lies and condemned him for his behavior.