Transcript HUAC
The McCarthy Era
An Era of Suspicion
House of UnAmerican Activities
Committee
FILMS HAD POWER TO CORRUPT
AMERICAN PEOPLE
BEGAN INVESTIGATING FILM INDUSTRY
FOR DISLOYALTY
“HOLLYWOOD 10”
– WRITERS, ACTORS, DIRECTORS, AND
PRODUCERS JAILED FOR CONTEMPT.
– ALL DISCHARGED WHEN THEY
REFUSED TO ANSWER COMMITTEE
QUESTIONS.
WHO WAS IN CHARGE?
CHAIRMAN:
ASKS
J. Parnell Thomas
THEM:
–“ARE YOU KNOW OR HAVE YOU
EVER BEEN A MEMBER OF THE
COMMUNIST PARTY?”
JOSEPH McCARTHY
Came
to Power in the SENATE
Accused many gov’t employees of
being COMMUNISTS
American People support him out
of FEAR
Want communits out of gov’t
positions.
LEGACY OF HUAC & THE
McCARTHY HEARINGS
HUNDREDS
OF GOV’T WORKERS
LOSE THEIR JOBS.
MANY IN THE ENTERAINMENT
INDUSTRY BECOME
“BLACKLISTED”
AGE
OF SUPPRESSION OF IDEAS
& OPEN DISCUSSION
WHY?
Why
were Americans willing to
suspend the Bill of Rights to fight
Communism?
What
were they afraid of?
What were they trying to protect?
What did fear drive some
Americans to do?
FEAR
OF
NUCLEAR
ATTACK
COMUNIST
OVER
TAKE
COMMUNISTS
INFILTRATING
GOVERNMENT
MEET THE ROSENBERGS
WHY WERE THEY ARRESTED?
Former members of
the U.S. Communist
Party
Inactive for some
time.
Accused of espionage
(giving Soviets the
secrets to the ABomb)
Rosenberg's cont..
Both denied the
charges & claimed
that they were being
targeted because they
were Jewish.
Died by electric chair
in 1953.
First “spies” to be
killed.
DOWNFALL OF HUAC
McCarthy
becomes reckless
Makes wild accusations against ARMY
REPS.
Hearings are televised for 36 Days.
By April 1954, Public is FED UP
Stays in SENATE, yet loses his power
and dies in 1957.