On 9 February 1950, Senator Joseph R McCarthy told the Women's Republican Club of Wheeling, West Virginia that he had a list of 205members of the State Department who were "members of the Communist Party and members of a spy ring" → McCarthy Witch-hunt.
Causes of the Witch-hunt
a. Fear of Communism
Pre-existing belief that Communism threatened US democracy & way of life (eg 1920s Red Scare).
The Committee (HUAC, 1938): Investigated suspected disloyalty, incl. Communists, Nazis, & Japanese Americans.
Act (1940): Criminalized advocating, abetting or advising govt overthrow.
Dept of Justice tracked 154 'subversive' groups from 1942.
b. Anti-Union Sentiment
Republicans & others saw unions as damaging capitalism.
Act (1947): Restricted union actions; required union leaders to swear they werent Communists.
Elizabeth Bentley and Whittaker Chambers: Soviet spies accused govt officials (eg Alger Hiss).
Case (1948): Govt official sentenced for perjury over spying allegations → McCarthy allegations.
Ethel and Julius (1953): Executed for leaking nuclear & military tech to USSR.
d. Cold War Context
Doctrine (1947): US pledged to 'contain' Communism.
Key events:
- 1948: Communists took over Czechoslovakia; Marshall Plan approved.
- 1949: USSRs Berlin Blockade & 1st atomic bomb test.
- 1949: China became Communist.
- 1950: Korean War began after N. Korea invaded S. Korea.
e. Intelligence
The National Security Agency started the (1943): proved some Soviet spying occurred.
f. Swing to the Republican Party
Support for Republicans grew; McCarthyism helped them gain power in 1952 elections.
g. Media Sensationalism
Media fed fearsnews, films (eg alien invasion themes), & propaganda exaggerated Communist threats.
McCarthyism
a.
HUAC blacklisted 10 filmmakers in 1947.
300+ others, incl. Charlie Chaplin, comedienne Lucille Ball, NAACP founder WEB Du Bois, Robert Oppenheimer (of atomic bomb fame), playwright Arthur Miller, and protest singer Pete Seeger.
b. Exposing Suspects
FBI (led by J. Edgar Hoover) used illegal tactics (eg wiretaps, forged docs).
Loyalty reviews: Govt departments investigated 20% of employees.
Groups like American Legion & private firms (eg AWARE, which used a journal called ) accused hundreds of people of Communism, causing job losses.
c. Lavender Scare
Homosexuals targeted as 'security risks' & blackmail-prone.
- HUAC summoned > 3k; many 'took the Fifth' but were ostracized.
- Hundreds jailed; 10-12k lost jobs.
Effect on Society
- Communist Party in US destroyed.
- Long-term fear stifled protests until Vietnam War era.
Legacy
- FBIs COINTELPRO (to discredit 'subversives') ran until 1971.
- McCarthyism remains a cautionary example of power misuse vs personal freedoms.
On 9 February 1950, Senator Joseph R McCarthy told the Women's Republican Club of Wheeling, West Virginia that he had a list of 205members of the State Department who were "members of the Communist Party and members of a spy ring" → McCarthy Witch-hunt.
Causes of the Witch-hunt
a. Fear of Communism
Pre-existing belief that Communism threatened US democracy & way of life (eg 1920s Red Scare).
The HOUSE UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES Committee (HUAC, 1938): Investigated suspected disloyalty, incl. Communists, Nazis, & Japanese Americans.
SMITH Act (1940): Criminalized advocating, abetting or advising govt overthrow.
Dept of Justice tracked 154 'subversive' groups from 1942.
b. Anti-Union Sentiment
Republicans & others saw unions as damaging capitalism.
TAFT-HARTLEY Act (1947): Restricted union actions; required union leaders to swear they werent Communists.
Elizabeth Bentley and Whittaker Chambers: Soviet spies accused govt officials (eg Alger Hiss).
ALGER HISS Case (1948): Govt official sentenced for perjury over spying allegations → McCarthy allegations.
Ethel and Julius ROSENBERG (1953): Executed for leaking nuclear & military tech to USSR.
d. Cold War Context
TRUMAN DOCTRINE (1947): US pledged to 'contain' Communism.
Key events:
- 1948: Communists took over Czechoslovakia; Marshall Plan approved.
- 1949: USSRs Berlin Blockade & 1st atomic bomb test.
- 1949: China became Communist.
- 1950: Korean War began after N. Korea invaded S. Korea.
e. Intelligence
The National Security Agency started the VENONA PROJECT (1943): proved some Soviet spying occurred.
f. Swing to the Republican Party
Support for Republicans grew; McCarthyism helped them gain power in 1952 elections.
g. Media Sensationalism
Media fed fearsnews, films (eg alien invasion themes), & propaganda exaggerated Communist threats.
McCarthyism
a. HOLLYWOOD TEN
HUAC blacklisted 10 filmmakers in 1947.
300+ others, incl. Charlie Chaplin, comedienne Lucille Ball, NAACP founder WEB Du Bois, Robert Oppenheimer (of atomic bomb fame), playwright Arthur Miller, and protest singer Pete Seeger.
b. Exposing Suspects
FBI (led by J. Edgar Hoover) used illegal tactics (eg wiretaps, forged docs).
Loyalty reviews: Govt departments investigated 20% of employees.
Groups like American Legion & private firms (eg AWARE, which used a journal called COUNTERATTACK) accused hundreds of people of Communism, causing job losses.
c. Lavender Scare
Homosexuals targeted as 'security risks' & blackmail-prone.
Truman fired 425 employees; Eisenhower's EXEC ORDER 10450 barred homosexuals from govt jobs, causing 5k firings.
d. PERMANENT SUBCOMMITTEE ON INVESTIGATIONS (PSI)
McCarthy chaired the PSI (1953-54): Held 169 hearings, calling 653 people.
Methods: Intimidation, personal attacks, flimsy evidence; bullying accused to name others.
e. End of the Scare
Backlash:
- Truman (1953): Called it "corruption of truth."
- Ed Murrow (1953-54): CBS broadcasts criticized McCarthy.
- The Crucible (1953): Millers play drew parallels to McCarthyism.
