Post WWI Red Scare Chapter 13 Flashcards

Red Scare Overview

• Red Scare refers to the promotion of fear regarding radical leftism and communism, often amplified by media coverage.

Causes of the Red Scare

• Post-World War I, nationalism and anti-immigrant sentiments intensified.
• The 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia fueled fears of an uprising among immigrants from Russia and Eastern/Southern Europe.
• Economic downturn after WWI led to rising unemployment and increased labor strikes, heightening fears of radicalism.
• Anarchists’ bombing campaigns targeting notable Americans contributed to the hysteria surrounding potential subversion.

The First Red Scare

• Occurred post-1917 Bolshevik Revolution, during WWI when patriotism was high and social tensions escalated.
• Widespread belief that a Bolshevik-like revolution could occur in the U.S.

The Second Red Scare

• Followed World War II, driven by fears of communist espionage amid geopolitical tensions such as the Berlin Blockade and major civil wars in Korea and China.
• Revelations of American officials spying for the Soviet Union exacerbated public anxiety.

HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee)

• Established in 1945 to investigate disloyalty and subversion in the U.S.
• Utilized aggressive tactics to blacklisting individuals and threatening livelihoods, despite minimal actual communist presence.

Loyalty Program/Executive Order 9835

• Implemented by President Truman to purge potential communists from government roles.
• Resulted in perceived widespread infiltration, with only 300 individuals dismissed for disloyalty.

Hollywood 10

• Group of Hollywood writers suspected of promoting communist viewpoints in film.
• Out of 43 accused, only 10 were charged; all were subsequently blacklisted from the industry.

Rosenbergs

• Julius and Ethel Rosenberg became the first individuals executed for espionage in 1953, accused of relaying atomic secrets to the USSR.
• Controversial trial face criticism due to perceived lack of evidence; current beliefs suggest Ethel may not have been a spy.

Alger Hiss

• Accused of communist affiliation by former communist Whittaker Chambers in 1948.
• Convicted of perjury, despite never being tried for treason; involvement in the Yalta Conference heightened suspicions.

Soviet Union and Atomic Bomb

• The U.S. developed its atomic bomb in 1945, but the USSR surprised many by testing its own bomb four years later.
• This event initiated the technological space race and showcased Soviet advancements.

Korean War

• 1950-1953 conflict striving to unify Korea post-Japanese occupation; North Korea was communist, while South Korea adopted capitalism.
• The U.S. intervened to prevent communism's spread, resulting in extensive casualties, including 40,000 American deaths.

Vietnam War

• Began with U.S. military involvement in 1965 to assist South Vietnam against the communist North.
• Public opinion turned against the war, despite government efforts to justify participation.