US Domestic: McCarthyism-Reading

McCarthyism

1947-1957

Toward the end of the 1940s, the presence of communism in the world became apparent. Americans were afraid communism would infiltrate the American government. Eastern Europe was falling under the influence of the Soviet Union. A revolution in China in 1949 put that country under communist control. Pro-communist rebels were trying to drive out French colonial rule in Indochina. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said an “Iron Curtain” was falling over the region.

Many Americans were worried after Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were found guilty of providing the Soviet Union with classified atomic bomb information. Because of information the Rosenbergs provided, the Soviet Union constructed its own atomic bomb. The nuclear age had begun. Americans feared a potential Soviet nuclear attack. Fallout shelters were becoming common in the United States. Students were practicing atomic bomb drills in their classrooms. The “Duck and Cover” video became popular. Elizabeth Bentley and Whittaker Chambers, former members of the Communist Party of America, stated that those who were in or supported the communist party had been successfully infiltrating the American government.

With the American public growing concerned, the United States Congress passed the Smith Actin 1940. The Smith Act forbid any American citizen to join or to participate in any organization attempted to overthrow the United States government. In addition, it required all those who entered the country to register with the government. Additionally, in 1947 President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9835. This law led to the creation of the Federal Employees Loyalty Program to review the status of Americans working for the national government. Workers were investigated to determine if they were loyal to America. In some cases, people lost their jobs because their loyalty to the United States was questioned. The House Committee on Un-American Activities also began investigating. An obvious question was how the government would define the “loyalty” of a person.

Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy led one of the Senate investigating committees. He was a strong opponent of communism. At a conference in West Virginia, he claimed that the executive branch of the federal government was aware known communists were working for the government. In particular, he launched his attacks at Dean Acheson. Acheson was the Secretary of State. McCarthy claimed Acheson knew there were two hundred five communists in the State Department. The American public was thrown into a frenzy. They could not believe that Acheson knew about this and did nothing. McCarthy petitioned the government to investigate the State Department. The United States Senate complied with McCarthy’s request. Millard Tydings was appointed to head the committee. He reviewed all of the accused people. He found no link between those individuals and communism. After hearing this, Americans were reassured that there were no communists in the government.

McCarthy, however, did not accept the results that Tydings and his committee found. Because of his persistence, he was elected chairman of the Committee of Government Operations. McCarthy claimed the American government was protecting known communists. This drew President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s anger. McCarthy began to investigate the United States Army. His continued badgering of respected army officials cast McCarthy in a negative light.

People were disgusted with McCarthy’s accusations; and in August 1954, a Senate committee began to investigate McCarthy’s actions. The committee found his behavior as chairman to be disgraceful. In December the Senate passed a resolution condemning McCarthy’s abuse of power. Although McCarthy remained in the Senate, he had little power and had lost the respect of the American people and his fellow senators. Joseph McCarthy died on May 2, 1957.

Answer the following questions based on the reading:

1. What were Ethel and Julius Rosenberg’s connection to the atomic bomb?
2. What precautions did Americans take to prepare for nuclear attacks?
3. What did former members of the Communist Party of America claim?
4. What was the Smith Act of 1940?
5. What was ExecutiveOrder 9835?
6. What did Senator Joseph McCarthy announce during a meeting in West Virginia?
7. Whom did the United StatesSenate appoint to head McCarthy’s committee? What were his findings?
8. What was Senator Joseph McCarthy’s downfall?
9. Why did so many Americans fear communism during the 1940s and 1950s?