McCarthyism

Museum Entrance ExitSt

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Welcome to the Museum ofMcCarthyism

Room 1

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Entry

The A

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Start of the

Cold W

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The Start of McCarthyism Room

Communist Threat

http://www.geir.org/future/tech/AtomicEra.html

● The Atomic era began in 1945 after WWII had ended

● Although civilizations during this era were dominated by mechanical process, they also developed computational devices and often harnessed fission energy

○ During the Atomic era countries such as Russia and the US began to have atom bombs

● Russia tested their first atom bomb in 1949 which would begin the “arms race”

● With this Communism would become a threat to the United States Return to

Exhibit

The Atomic Era



http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/joseph-mccarthy

● He was a first-term senator from wisconsin○ He won in 1946

● In 1953 he began his second term in being a senator

● He was in charge of the Committee on Government Operations

○ That let him launch more investigations of the federal government

● Eventhough he did not have enough evidence, more than 2,000 government employees lost their job Return to

Exhibit

Joseph McCarthy



http://www.worldology.com/Europe/Europe_Articles/rise_of_communism.htm

● Communism is a theory or system of a social organization based on the holding of all property in common

○ This means that property is public and everyone is paid according to abilities and needs

● Communism took control of Russia in 1917 after the Communist revolution, and the ideal of a Communist Russia was built on after that

● Communist would become a threat to the United states when it potentially spreads into the government Return to

Exhibit

Communist Threat



http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cold-war-history

● The start of the cold war started after the end of WW2 in (1945)

● It started because of a dispute over the future of Europe

● The “Cold War” was between the Soviet and Americans

● When there was a global struggle- military, political, economic, ideological- to have a new “Cold War” occur

● Russia exploded their first atomic bomb on August 1949

Return to Exhibit

The Start of the Cold war



Room 2

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Entry

Jose

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Communist Investigations

The Rise of McCarthyism

The House Committee on Un-American

Activities


● Joseph McCarthy became senator only because he took advantage of americans

● Also he pushed his way into becoming the senator

● He used the fact that people in america didn’t like communist so he would do witch hunts for people that were “communist” on his list

● The fear of Communists soon became Mccarthyism

Return to Exhibit

Joseph McCarthy becoming Senator



http://www.ushistory.org/us/53a.asp

● Joseph McCarthy had investigations in the US government to find Communist

○ Joseph proclaimed on February 9, 1950 that he was aware that 205 card carrying members of the communist party were working for the United States government

● McCarthy did investigations on the US government and had 2000 employees fired

● The Army-McCarthy hearings, some “Witch hunts” McCarthy ordered, and The HCUA were investigations that were against Communist Return to

Exhibit

Communist Investigations




● The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA) targeted Hollywood film industries.

○ Actors, writers, and producers alike were summoned to appear and give names of colleagues who might have been with the communist party

● Those who gave names of the suspected were released and returned on to business usual, while those who refused were cited for contempt

● Uncooperative artist were blacklisted from jobs and lost their reputation Return to

Exhibit

The House Committee on Un-American Activities




● Unions were special targets for communist hunters

○ Sensing an unfavorable environment The American Federation of labor (AFL) and Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) closed ranks in 1955

● Books such as Robin Hood were taken off shelves because of the communist deemed suggestions of stealing from the rich to give to the poor

Return to Exhibit

Other Witch Hunt victims



Room 3

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Entry

The

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Picture page :

McC

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The Army-McCarthy

Hearings

The Fall of McCarthyism

End of McCarthyism

https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~lillsie/McCarthyism/downfall.html

● After giving up on his investigation of the army security he focused on Irving Peress an army dentist

○ Peress was promoted to Major than when the army saw his paperwork for dismissal they quickly discharged him

● McCarthy went on a full campaign criticizing the army saying why did they let Peress be promoted

○ McCarthy asked General Ralph Zwicker for names and when he didn’t want to answer, McCarthy said he had intelligence of a 5 year-old and the treatment of the general generated a lot of hostility of the press and American public

Return to Exhibit

The Irving Peress Case





● When Joseph McCarthy tried to turn his investigations of communist to army security

○ He was charged with using improper influence to win privileged treatment for a former staff member

● These hearings were televised so every american saw how McCarthyism was really “evil” and not a ‘good” thing.

● After this, McCarthyism went downhill

Return to Exhibit

The Army-McCarthy Hearings




● By the time the Army-McCarthy hearings were over McCArthy lost most of his allies and the senate wanted to condemn him for his “inexcusable”, “reprehensible”, “vulgar and insulting” conduct “unbecoming a senator”

● McCarthy kept his job, but lost his power, he died in 1957 at the age of 48

● McCarthyism was dead by 1960, but its effects would last for a long time

● To the Average American something became clear: “Don’t Criticize America. Don’t be different. Just Conform.” Return to

Exhibit

End of McCarthyism



Return to Exhibit

Picture page: McCarthyism

Citation PageHistory.com Staff. Cold War History. A+E Networks. 2009. History.com. August

26, 2014History.com Staff. Joseph R McCarthy. A+E Networks. 2009. History.com.

August 26, 2014"Army-McCarthy Hearings." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 27 Aug. 2014

"McCarthy's Downfall." McCarthy's Downfall. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2014.

Education

McCarthyism