McCarthyism

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Why was communism seen as a threat?
It was seen as the opposite of America's values of capitalism and democracy. Communist countries were run by dictators and their economies were fun by their government's to create classless societies, which many Americans felt would be a threat to their
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Events that led to the rise of McCarthy
• 1947- Truman Doctrine- policy of containment to stop the spread of communism
• 1949- China became communist. Society Union also began testing its own nuclear weapons.
• Growing concern that communists were infiltrating America.
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The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
• Set up in 1948
• After WW2, it was tasked with identifying communist threats in the USA
• Became notorious for bullying witnesses into producing names and information about communists
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Names of communists found guilty by the HUAC
• Alger Hiss, a former State Department official, was exposed as a Soviet spy by Whittaker Chambers, a self-confessed former communist. Hiss was convicted and imprisoned in 1950.
• 1953- Ethel + Julius Rosenberg accused of spying + executed.
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The rise of McCarthy
• Feb 1950- speech claiming that there wereover 200 unknown communists in the US state department
• Publicly accused people of being communists with little/no evidence. Intimidated them by attacking their personal character and questioning their loyalty t
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The rise of McCarthy contd.
• His methods were seen as undemocratic, but have him publicity, power and popularity.
• 1953- Eisenhower became president and didn't directly question McCarthy.
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When were McCarthy's claims finally confronted?
When he claimed that the US army was"soft" on communism.
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The Fall of McCarthy
• As part of an extended congressional investigation in 1954, hearings into the army were televised.
• This allowed the extent of McCarthy's accusations to be revealed to millions of Americans.
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The Fall of McCarthy contd.
• Following the public reaction to McCarthy's statements and behaviour, the Sentate voted in a majority to censure McCarthy.
• His influence declined rapidly until his death in May 1957.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Events that led to the rise of McCarthy

Back

• 1947- Truman Doctrine- policy of containment to stop the spread of communism
• 1949- China became communist. Society Union also began testing its own nuclear weapons.
• Growing concern that communists were infiltrating America.

Card 3

Front

The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Names of communists found guilty by the HUAC

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

The rise of McCarthy

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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