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The Use of American Propaganda During the Cold War Kristin M AHAP- DEF Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua NY Essential Question How did propaganda reflect on American fears and support during the Cold War? The Red Scare : Hysteria  In the 1950’s, communism was not an imagined enemy, it had concrete shape in the form of the Soviet Union and Joseph Stalin.  Many hindrances were encountered in America’s fight against communism:  The Korean deadlock  The defeat of China  The development of the Atomic bomb by the Soviets  People were searching for somebody to blame, and many were drawn to the suggestion of a communist conspiracy among the American nation.  State and local governments, the judiciary, schools and universities, labor unions – all sought to rid themselves of real or imagined subversives.  Not only was the fear of communism in the air, but also the fear of being suspected of ties with communists.  This panic gave way to an extraordinary public figure whose behavior was merely accepted because of the crucial times that called for such actions. Joseph McCarthy  National spotlight shone first on McCarthy in 1950, when he made a speech in Wheeling, W.Va. He declared he had a list of 205 Communists working in the State Department.  In the 1950’s, he became the most visible public face during a period of extreme anti- communism tensions. Republican US Senator from Wisconsin McCarthy’s Manner  Along with his immoral assistants, Roy Cohn and David Schine, McCarthy moseyed his way through federal offices and American embassies seeking evidence of communist influence.  One after another were harassed by McCarthy’s subcommittee and their public careers were soon destroyed due to feeble proof produced by McCarthy.  His accusations were without confirmation yet a rising community in the US grew to adore his policies and the assaults he was making on those subversives, real or phony. McCarthyism  Is characterized by uncontrollable, and unproven accusations, as well as public attacks on the character or patriotism of political opponents  No one was able to bash McCarthy without the risk of being called a communist spy or sympathizer, even President Eisenhower remained silent. Have a care, sir. In the summer of 1954, a branch of the American Legion denounced the Girl Scouts, calling the "one world" ideas advocated in their publications "un- American." House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)  In search of an issue to attack the Democratic party with, the Republican-controlled Congress established the House of Un- American Activities Committee with the goal to prove that the government under Democratic rule, had tolerated communist sedition.  A committee that was made up of the U.S. House of Representatives, was created to investigate treachery and subversive associations. (1938–75) “Hollywood Ten”  The movie industry was the first to be attacked by HUAC, claiming that communists had broke into Hollywood and polluted America with propaganda.  Writers and producers were called to testify and when some refused to answer questions about their own political views, they were jailed for their disdain.  Not only were these ten fined and sentenced to years in jail for contempt of Congress, they were also blacklisted from working in the film industry in Hollywood until the 1960's when the ban was lifted. Herbert Biberman, Martin Popper, Robert W. Kenny, Albert Maltz, Lester Cole, Dalton Trumbo, John Howard Lawson, Alvah Bessie, Samuel Ornitz, Ring Lardner Jr., Edward Dmytryk, Adrian Scott. .Continued  There were many grounds by which HUAC investigators arrested those in the entertainment business  sympathy toward the American Communist Party  involvement in liberal or humanitarian political causes that enforcers associated with communism  refusal to assist federal investigations into Communist Party activities  Some were blacklisted merely because their names came up at the wrong place and time