During the Cold War, fear of communism spreading to the United States led to a period known as the Red Scare. President Truman and Congress took actions to investigate and crack down on suspected communist activities and influences within the country. This included the House Un-American Activities Committee holding hearings to investigate areas of society for communist ties. Figures like Alger Hiss and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were prosecuted for communist espionage. Senator Joseph McCarthy further exacerbated tensions by aggressively accusing many Americans of being communist sympathizers without proof, in what became known as McCarthyism. His actions were eventually discredited through televised hearings, helping to ease the Red Scare period in the United States.

1. THE COLD WAR AT HOME
Section 1, Lesson 4

2. Objectives
• Describe the efforts of President Truman and
the House of Representatives to fight
communism at home.
• Explain how domestic spy cases increased
fears of communist influence in the U.S.
government.
• Analyze the rise and fall of Senator Joseph
McCarthy and the methods of McCarthyism.

3. Terms and People
• Red Scare − American reaction to the fear that
communists were working to destroy American life
• HUAC − House Un-American Activities Committee;
congressional committee that investigated possible
subversive activities within the United States
• Hollywood Ten − group of writers, directors, and
producers who refused to answer HUAC questions about
possible communist ties
• blacklist − list of people banned from certain jobs
because of suspected communist ties
• Alger Hiss − U.S. government official accused of being a
communist spy and convicted of perjury
• McCarthyism − negative catchword for extreme,
reckless charges of disloyalty

4. How did fear of domestic communism
affect American society during the Cold
War?
As Cold War tensions mounted, the United
States became gripped by a Red Scare.
Many feared that communists were
infiltrating the country, attempting to
destroy the American way of life.

5. By the 1950s, Americans “Today’s headlines should
were alarmed by charges of battles with
that communists had Communist hordes in
infiltrated their Korea – of Red Riots in
government and other Rome and Paris and
institutions. Cold War Berlin! But there’s
themes made their way another secret battle
into movies, television taking place – right here,
shows, and novels. Even right now! A [secret]
comic book heroes like underground fight
Superman battles the between Communism
communist menace. In a and democracy for the
1952 comic book, a youth of America.”
character states the -”Backyard Battleground”
concerns of many
Americans: Daring Confessions, 1953

6. Recall what you know about the U.S. treatment of
Japanese Americans at the start of World War II.
What do you think might happen to all U.S.
citizens’ rights and freedoms during the Cold War?

7. During the Cold War, it seemed to many Americans
that communism was spreading everywhere—
in Europe, in Asia, even into outer space.
Some
Many feared suspected that Red Scare
the United communists fears led
States was were already President
next. in the country, Truman to
plotting take action.
revolution.

8. Fighting Communism at Home
Act Date Provisions
Smith Act 1940 • Made it unlawful to teach
about or advocate the violent
overthrow of the U.S.
government
Federal Employee 1947 • Allowed the FBI to screen
Loyalty Program federal employees for signs of
disloyalty
• Allowed the Attorney General
to compile a list of subversive
organizations in the U.S.

9. Congress joined in the search for communists.
The House Un-American Activities Committee held
hearings to investigate communist influence in
American society, including:
• the government • education
• the armed forces • newspapers
• labor unions • the movie industry

10. HUAC hearings were highly charged and widely
publicized.
The Hollywood Ten refused to testify and eventually
were jailed.
People from
Blacklists all walks of Careers were
were life were shattered.
created. accused of
being
disloyal.

11. As fears of disloyalty rose, Americans became riveted
to two spy trials.
Defendant Year Charges Outcome
Alger Hiss 1948 Accused by a Convicted of
former Soviet spy perjury and
of being a jailed
communist agent
Julius Rosenberg 1950 Accused of passing Found guilty
Ethel Rosenberg atomic secrets to and executed
Soviet agents

12. The Rosenberg
case, which
focused on
atomic secrets,
heightened fears
of a nuclear
disaster.

13. As Americans worried about the nation’s security, a
little-known leader burst onto the national scene.
Senator Joseph McCarthy charged that
communist agents had infiltrated the
highest levels of government.
He claimed to have lists of Americans who were
secretly communists and had betrayed their country.

14. McCarthy could not prove his charges,
but they grabbed the public’s attention.
He consolidated power by making baseless
allegations and opening endless investigations.
Few protested, for fear they would be accused.
Those branded as communist sympathizers lost
their jobs, their reputations ruined.

15. In 1954, McCarthy claimed that the army,
too, was filled with communists.
The Army-
McCarthy
hearings were
televised, and
Americans saw
McCarthy’s
tactics
firsthand.

16. The public was
horrified to see Today, such
McCarthy bullying irresponsible actions
witnesses, making are known as
reckless McCarthyism.
accusations, and
twisting the truth.
By the time the hearings ended, McCarthy
had lost much of his support.
He was formally censured by the Senate.

17. McCarthy’s downfall marked the
decline of the Red Scare.
In an attempt to
protect the nation In the end, both
from communism, the nation and free
free speech had speech survived.
been threatened.
Today, the U.S. still struggles with
balancing the nation’s security with
the civil liberties of its citizens.

18. Section Review
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