8.3 The Red Scare

Fear of Communism After WWII

After WWII, tensions with the Soviet Union and the fall of China to communism (1949) fueled fears that communism was spreading and infiltrating the U.S. government. This became known as the second Red Scare, marked by suspicion of communist sympathizers, spies, and subversives within American institutions, media, and entertainment.

McCarthyism and HUAC

Senator Joseph McCarthy gained national attention by claiming to have lists of communists in the State Department, launching aggressive, often unsubstantiated accusations — a practice called McCarthyism. The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) investigated alleged communist influence in Hollywood and government, leading to blacklists, imprisonments (e.g., the Hollywood Ten), and ruined careers.

Espionage Cases and Civil Liberties

High-profile cases like Alger Hiss and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg (convicted of passing atomic secrets to the USSR) intensified fears. The Rosenbergs were executed in 1953. McCarthy's downfall came after the televised Army-McCarthy hearings (1954) exposed his reckless tactics, leading to censure and declining public trust in his crusade.

Key terms

Red Scare (second)

Post-WWII fear of communist infiltration in the U.S. government, media, and society, intensified by Cold War tensions.

McCarthyism

The practice of making reckless, unsubstantiated accusations of communism or treason, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy.

HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee)

Congressional committee that investigated suspected communists, notably in Hollywood, leading to blacklisting.

Rosenberg Case

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of espionage for passing atomic secrets to the USSR and executed in 1953.

Army-McCarthy Hearings (1954)

Televised hearings that exposed McCarthy's reckless tactics, leading to his censure and the decline of his influence.

Try an AP-style question

Senator Joseph McCarthy is known for…

1. leading the Marshall Plan's aid to Europe
2. accusing officials of communism without evidence
3. negotiating the end of World War II
4. desegregating the U.S. armed forces