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Tension and Fear Cold War Continues

Tension and Fear Cold War Continues. Fear of Communist Influence at Home. Loyalty Review Board Part of executive order issued by Truman March 1947 which set up the Federal Employee Loyalty Program Purpose: investigate government employees, dismiss those found to be disloyal

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Tension and Fear Cold War Continues

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  1. Tension and FearCold War Continues

  2. Fear of Communist Influence at Home Loyalty Review Board • Part of executive order issued by Truman March 1947 which set up the Federal Employee Loyalty Program • Purpose: investigate government employees, dismiss those found to be disloyal House Un-American Activities Committee • Investigate Communist influences in movie industry • Hollywood Ten: did not cooperate in hearings, believed unconstitutional • Blacklist: list of people Hollywood executives condemned for having Communist background McCarran Act • 1950: unlawful to plan any action that might lead to the establishment of totalitarian dictatorship in the US

  3. Spy Cases Alger Hiss • 1948: former communist spy accused Hiss of spying for Soviet Union • Richard Nixon pursued charges against Hiss Ethel and Julius Rosenburg • Sept 3, 1949: Americans learn Soviet Union exploded an atomic bomb • 1950: German-born physicist Klaus Fuchs admitted giving Soviet Union information about atomic bomb • Rosenburgs implicated in case, minor activists in American Communist Party

  4. Senator Joseph McCarthy (R-WI) • 1950: after 3 years in office, reputation of being ineffective; needed a winning issue in order to be reelected 1952 • McCarthyism: unfair tactic of accusing people of disloyalty without providing evidence • Claimed to have names of Communists in the State Department; however, unable to produce a single name • Downfall: 1954 – accusations against US Army • Televised hearings showed McCarthy bulling witnesses; alienated audiences and lost public support

  5. Causes and Effects of McCarthyism Causes Effects Soviets successfully establish Communist regimes in Easter Europe after WWII Soviets develop the atomic bomb more quickly than expected Korean War ends in stalemate Republicans gain politically by accusing Truman and Democrats of being soft on communism Millions of Americans are forced to take loyalty oaths and undergo loyalty investigations Activism by labor unions goes into decline Many people are afraid to speak out on public issues Anti-communism continues to drive US foreign policy

  6. US Policy - Brinkmanship H-bomb: November 1, 1952 – US wins race to explode first; Soviet Union successfully exploded their own August 1953 Brinkmanship: • President Eisenhower and secretary of state John Foster Dulles • Prevent spread of communism by promising to use all its forces (including nuclear) against any aggressor nation • Expansion of air force and buildup of nuclear weapons Arms Race • Scientific achievements; shadow of impending nuclear holocaust during 1950s • Drain national economies and instilled fear in people around world • Misunderstanding and mistrust; Americans build bomb shelters, air-raid drills

  7. Cold War Spreads Around the World Formation of the CIA – use spies to gather information abroad, carry out covert operations to weaken or overthrow governments unfriendly to US Warsaw Pact: military alliance between Soviet Union and seven Eastern European countries • Prior to, tensions seemed to be thawing – death of Stalin (Krushchev to power), recognition of West Germany • However, 1955 West Germany allowed to rearm and join NATO Eisenhower Doctrine (January 1957): US would defend Middle East against attack by any communist country U-2 incident: CIA secret high-altitude flights over Soviet territory • Soviet Union shot down U2 and recovered evidence that US had been spying • 1960s beings with renewed tension between superpowers

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