Reds, Lefties, and Reds, Lefties, and Fellow Travelers: The Fellow Travelers: The

Cold War at HomeCold War at Home

I. Joe McCarthy’s “List”I. Joe McCarthy’s “List”

A. “Tailgunner Joe”A. “Tailgunner Joe” Senator Joseph McCarthy of Senator Joseph McCarthy of

Wisconsin elected 1946Wisconsin elected 1946 1950 feared reelection in 19521950 feared reelection in 1952 ““Tailgunner Joe”: WWII vet, but a Tailgunner Joe”: WWII vet, but a

low level paper pusher in low level paper pusher in intelligenceintelligence

““Pepsi Kid”: minor servant as Pepsi Kid”: minor servant as Pepsi Cola rep.Pepsi Cola rep.

Opposed public housing (in Opposed public housing (in support of real estate cos.)support of real estate cos.)

Publicly defended Nazi war Publicly defended Nazi war criminals on trial for death (to criminals on trial for death (to woo German Americanswoo German Americans

B. Red-Baiting to PowerB. Red-Baiting to Power

Essentially a nobody in 1950: needed Essentially a nobody in 1950: needed visibilityvisibility

At a bar, meets with Edmund Walsh At a bar, meets with Edmund Walsh (Catholic priest, VP Georgetown, (Catholic priest, VP Georgetown, author of book on evils of author of book on evils of Communism and dangers of Communism and dangers of expansion): suggested JM look into expansion): suggested JM look into Communist infiltration in US gov’tCommunist infiltration in US gov’t

Feb. 1950: Wheeling, WV, Feb. 1950: Wheeling, WV, speech before Women’s speech before Women’s Republican ClubRepublican Club

Reason for US impotence in Reason for US impotence in containment: traitors containment: traitors collaborating w/enemy, State collaborating w/enemy, State Department overrun Department overrun w/Communist spiesw/Communist spies

Holds up a piece of paper and Holds up a piece of paper and claims “205 names”claims “205 names”– # came from a HUAC list of # came from a HUAC list of

accused officialsaccused officials Richard Nixon and Bobby KennedyRichard Nixon and Bobby Kennedy

Initially no splashInitially no splash Gives same speech Salt Lake City and Reno Gives same speech Salt Lake City and Reno

(# changed from 205 to 57 to 81)(# changed from 205 to 57 to 81) By March 1950By March 1950 hero to many hero to many

– NJ Marine Corps League: Citation for AmericanismNJ Marine Corps League: Citation for Americanism Republican leadership begins to pay Republican leadership begins to pay

attentionattention McCarthy turned “treason into McCarthy turned “treason into traitors”traitors”

In 2 months became most powerful man in In 2 months became most powerful man in WashingtonWashington

II. Appeal of McCarthyismII. Appeal of McCarthyism Why did a 3Why did a 3rdrd rate politician make it so far rate politician make it so far

on so little?on so little?A. Tradition of Conspiracy Theories in A. Tradition of Conspiracy Theories in

US HistoryUS History1. US a socially mobile nation1. US a socially mobile nation unstable, unstable,

competitive, anxiouscompetitive, anxious2. Nation of immigrants: being American 2. Nation of immigrants: being American

means accepting certain idealsmeans accepting certain ideals anti- anti-AmericanismAmericanism

3. “City on a Hill”: long-tradition of viewing 3. “City on a Hill”: long-tradition of viewing selves as uniquely greatest in world and selves as uniquely greatest in world and historyhistory everyone else jealous and seeking everyone else jealous and seeking to tear us downto tear us down

Specific Appeal of McCarthyism for PublicSpecific Appeal of McCarthyism for Public

1. Appealed to a variety of fears (catch-all all 1. Appealed to a variety of fears (catch-all all negative changes after WWII: women, blacks, negative changes after WWII: women, blacks, union activism, economic slump), never able union activism, economic slump), never able to point to a specific action: accusations to point to a specific action: accusations empty, but empty, but seemedseemed to have substance to have substance

2. Americans wanted to believe (conspiracy 2. Americans wanted to believe (conspiracy mind-set helps to make sense of a mind-set helps to make sense of a complicated world)complicated world)

3. Anti-communism had deep roots in American 3. Anti-communism had deep roots in American history and psyche (always more concerned history and psyche (always more concerned about the Left than the Right; 1about the Left than the Right; 1stst Red Scare) Red Scare)

Appeal of McCarthyism for Republican PartyAppeal of McCarthyism for Republican Party1.1. Means attack popular New Deal programsMeans attack popular New Deal programs2.2. Easy to imply Democrats “soft” on Easy to imply Democrats “soft” on

Communism because of the “loss” of Communism because of the “loss” of China to Mao Zedong in 1949China to Mao Zedong in 1949

3.3. Enabled them to undermine the generally Enabled them to undermine the generally popular gains of the labor unions made in popular gains of the labor unions made in WWII (linked with Communism)WWII (linked with Communism)

Ike: won’t “get into the gutter with that Ike: won’t “get into the gutter with that guy”: fears splintering Republicansguy”: fears splintering Republicans indirectly through media + Congressindirectly through media + Congress

Dulles: allowed purge alleged Communists Dulles: allowed purge alleged Communists Foreign ServiceForeign Service

B. Fear of EspionageB. Fear of Espionage

Cooperation w/USSR in WWII made Cooperation w/USSR in WWII made many uneasy: understood necessity many uneasy: understood necessity but never accepted USSR as true allybut never accepted USSR as true ally

Extreme statements of Marxist Extreme statements of Marxist ideologues frightened Ams. (religion ideologues frightened Ams. (religion as opiate of the masses, violent as opiate of the masses, violent overthrow of the capitalist oppressors, overthrow of the capitalist oppressors, etc.)etc.)

High-level cooperation (often secret) High-level cooperation (often secret) with Stalin raised suspicionswith Stalin raised suspicions

Of course US gave sensitive/classified info Of course US gave sensitive/classified info to Soviets during war: question was how to Soviets during war: question was how much and was it ongoing?much and was it ongoing?

Truman contributed to paranoia by creating Truman contributed to paranoia by creating Loyalty programLoyalty program: background check on 3 : background check on 3 mil federal employees for questionable mil federal employees for questionable organizationsorganizations– Pushed out alcoholics and homosexuals as prone Pushed out alcoholics and homosexuals as prone

to “blackmail”to “blackmail”– Dems used anti-communism against far-left w/in Dems used anti-communism against far-left w/in

own party (Henry Wallace)own party (Henry Wallace)

1950 McCarran Internal Security Act 1950 McCarran Internal Security Act (passed over HT’s veto)(passed over HT’s veto)

1. Illegal to combine, conspire, or 1. Illegal to combine, conspire, or agree to act to contribute to creation agree to act to contribute to creation of totalitarian dictatorships (but not of totalitarian dictatorships (but not applied to right-wing gov’ts)applied to right-wing gov’ts)

2. Keep radical immigrants out2. Keep radical immigrants out3. Past members Communist Party 3. Past members Communist Party

forced to register w/Attorney Generalforced to register w/Attorney General

Real Espionage?Real Espionage?

Hiss Case: Truman + Acheson defend Alger Hiss Case: Truman + Acheson defend Alger Hiss from Whitaker Chambers’ accusations Hiss from Whitaker Chambers’ accusations of spying at Yaltaof spying at Yalta 1948 HUAC member RM 1948 HUAC member RM Nixon urges grand jury to convict Hiss of Nixon urges grand jury to convict Hiss of perjuryperjury– Hiss probably really did pass info, but little effectHiss probably really did pass info, but little effect

Klaus Fuchs: USSR spy at Los AlamosKlaus Fuchs: USSR spy at Los Alamos Julius and Ethel Rosenberg: convicted of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg: convicted of

hiring spy at Los Alamos (both executed; hiring spy at Los Alamos (both executed; probably only Julius guilty)probably only Julius guilty)

C. Developments in Europe C. Developments in Europe and Asiaand Asia

USSR’s quick and deliberate action to USSR’s quick and deliberate action to create sphere of influencecreate sphere of influence

US inaction legitimates fear of official US inaction legitimates fear of official sympathies for Communismsympathies for Communism

1949 China (US $2 bil to Chiang Kai-1949 China (US $2 bil to Chiang Kai-shek): US “lost” Chinashek): US “lost” China

1950: N. Korea1950: N. Korea US police action (1 US police action (1stst major major proxy warproxy war)) “failure” to “failure” to invade China and N. Koreainvade China and N. Korea

D. Fear of Social ChangeD. Fear of Social Change New Deal marked significant shift to the New Deal marked significant shift to the

LeftLeft gov’t responsible for economy, gov’t responsible for economy, welfare of avg. Americanswelfare of avg. Americans

Post-WWII argument: ND “creeping Post-WWII argument: ND “creeping socialism” engineered by politicians with socialism” engineered by politicians with ties to Communiststies to Communists

Groundless, but certain prominent leaders Groundless, but certain prominent leaders had radical leanings in 1930s (“Red had radical leanings in 1930s (“Red Decade”)Decade”)

Labor Movements as Communist frontLabor Movements as Communist front McCarthy attacked New Dealers as McCarthy attacked New Dealers as

“twisted thinking” Communists“twisted thinking” Communists

E. EconomyE. Economy

Fears of return to Great Depression Fears of return to Great Depression (GI Bill)(GI Bill)

Massive labor unrest (1947 Taft-Massive labor unrest (1947 Taft-Hartley: ends closed shops); inflation; Hartley: ends closed shops); inflation; continuing shortages after WWII; continuing shortages after WWII; poverty; urban decay (“white flight”)poverty; urban decay (“white flight”)

Series of recessions throughout Series of recessions throughout 1950s1950s

F. Civil RightsF. Civil Rights Post-war propaganda against Post-war propaganda against

Rosie the Riveter suggested Rosie the Riveter suggested the deep-seated fear of the deep-seated fear of rising power of women and rising power of women and blacksblacks

The Civil Rights Movement The Civil Rights Movement was attacked as a was attacked as a Communist front: many Communist front: many whites believed blacks would whites believed blacks would only assert their rights if only assert their rights if being pressed by “being pressed by “outside outside agitatorsagitators””

FBI investigates MLK as FBI investigates MLK as CommieCommie

III. The End of McCarthyIII. The End of McCarthy

In the end, presented a list of only 9 names In the end, presented a list of only 9 names (and only 4 in State Dept.) to Senate (and only 4 in State Dept.) to Senate CommitteeCommittee denounced as a fraud and hoax denounced as a fraud and hoax

Saved when chief opponent, Millard Tydings Saved when chief opponent, Millard Tydings (D. MD) lost seat in election(D. MD) lost seat in election “proof” of “proof” of powerpower

With election of Ike in ’52, Republicans With election of Ike in ’52, Republicans hoped he would give it up (almost no one hoped he would give it up (almost no one really believed there were spiesreally believed there were spies election election year tactic): didn’tyear tactic): didn’t

JM given his own Senate JM given his own Senate Committee:157 investigations in Committee:157 investigations in 19531953 believed he was invincible believed he was invincible

Late ’53 turns on the US ArmyLate ’53 turns on the US Army focused on discharge Army dentist JM focused on discharge Army dentist JM thought should’ve been court thought should’ve been court martialedmartialed

Army questioned JM’s credibility: Army questioned JM’s credibility: accused of corrupt abuse of poweraccused of corrupt abuse of power– ““have you no decency?”have you no decency?”

Senate special investigation: 1954 Senate special investigation: 1954 Army-McCarthy hearingsArmy-McCarthy hearings

Beginning of end: televisedBeginning of end: televised people people saw JM as obnoxious and overboardsaw JM as obnoxious and overboard

1954: 2 counts of censure (contempt 1954: 2 counts of censure (contempt and abuse of Senate)and abuse of Senate)

McCarthyMcCarthyismism continued to pervade continued to pervade culture even though the man was culture even though the man was destroyeddestroyed