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HUAC

HUAC. Malik, Isley and Halimah. Communism after WW2. Americans saw communism as a threat after the second world war Communism was taking over many parts of the world America was close to becoming communist Truman Doctrine Communism was a fear common fear among americans

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HUAC

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  1. HUAC Malik, Isley and Halimah

  2. Communism after WW2 • Americans saw communism as a threat after the second world war • Communism was taking over many parts of the world • America was close to becoming communist • Truman Doctrine • Communism was a fear common fear among americans • Communism would take away the freedoms that a democracy has • If you were accused of being communist you would lose your job

  3. What is the HUAC? • House of Un-American Activities Committee • Organization was created to stop Communism in the United States of America. • Created in 1938 and abolished in 1975. • Took place during the Cold War (1947) • 1969 - Became known as House Committee on Internal Security. • Members would go "red baiting" • Attacked and persecuted "reds" (Communist). • They interrogated persons suspected of communist activities • If you wouldn't respond then you would automatically be labeled a communist

  4. Who was involved? • Members of the HUAC include: • Edward Hart (Chairman from 1944-45) • John S. Woods (Chairman from 1945-46) • J. Parnell Thomas • John McDowell • Harold Velde • Francis Walter • John Rankin • Karl Mundt • Richard Nixon

  5. Hollywood Blacklist • Began in 1946. • HUAC had difficulty finding Communists and then moved their search to California since it was a liberal state. • Those suspected of being Communists would be put on a blacklist which is know as the Hollywood blacklist since the majority of the communists were actors, directors, screenwriters, and other professions in the motion picture industry. The blacklist caused those on it to be unable to work whether it was on stage or serving coffee.

  6. Hollywood Blacklist Continued • Not all those on the blacklist were Communists. However, they were believed to have Communist ties. • HUAC would interrogate suspected Communists and all were asked the same question: • "Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist Party?" • Many of the accused would use the Fifth Amendment in defense in order to avoid answering the HUAC's questions. • Fifth Amendment: Prohibits self-incrimination and double jeopardy (prosecuting a person twice for the same crime that he has already been tried or punished for).

  7. Hollywood Blacklist Continued • 1951 - About 90 witnesses were brought to the hearing and were compelled to reveal all known Communist activities and names of other Communists. • Many revealed their own activities but refused to name names and were unable to invoke the Fifth Amendment as defense. • If the Fifth Amendment was invoked, then they would be imprisoned and put on the blacklist. If it was not invoked, they would avoid being imprisoned and put on the blacklist.

  8. Hollywood Ten • The first ten people to get put onto the blacklist. Consisted of screenwriters, directors, and producers: • Alvah Bessie, Herbert Biberman, Lester Cole, Edward Dmytryk, Ring Lardner Jr., John Howard Lawson, Albert Maltz, Samuel Ornitz, Adrian Scott, and Dalton Trumbo. • Were called to testify at a hearing. • Refused to answer any questions that had any connection to their affiliations to the Communist Party USA or Communist front groups. • Sentenced to a short span of time in jail for going against the Congress but were then put on the blacklist.

  9. AGLOSO • "Attorney General's List of Subversive Organizations" • Subversive: Attempt to transform an established social order and its structures of power • List drawn up by Tom C. Clark • Listed groups, not individuals • Started as only 11 organizations, expanded greatly by end of decade

  10. AGLOSO Continued • AGLOSO established after HUAC, 1947 • Broader targets • Strongly targeted organizations: KKK, Nazi Party, Communist Fronts • Essentially established to rid U.S. of potential threat to government and structure • Established the same year that the Cold War started • Red Scare prominent

  11. McCarthyism • Making accusations of disloyalty, subversion or treason without evidence • Originated in the midst of Cold War and Red Scare (1950-1956) • Name coming from extremely anti-Communist Senator Joseph McCarthy • Senator from 1947-1957 • Censured due to lack of evidence in persistent claims and accusations of Communist spies

  12. Discussion Question • Was the HUAC going about the right way in order to abolish Communism? Explain. • What do you think would be the equivalent of HUAC in modern day America?

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