Anti-Communism in America: American Society During the Cold War
Although the American Government tried to largely control subversive activity and rid the U.S. of communism in order to protect it's citizens, some of the methods used undermined basic human freedoms.
Specific Events
The Alger Hiss and Rosenberg Trials were specific events in U.S. history where the need to control subversive activity (communism) was a part of the anti-communism hysteria during the 1940s and '50s. The Alger Hiss case does not pertain as much to the loss of human rights as does the Rosenberg trials, where it is still debated today whether or not Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were treated equitably.
Alger Hiss and Whittaker Chambers Trials
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Alger Hiss, a U.S. State Department Official, was exposed by Whittaker Chambers to be a spy for the Soviet Union in 1948. Chambers, being a former communist himself, unmasked many government officials to the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) who were either former or current members of the Communist Party. However, Hiss denied such accusations of being a communist and aiding Chambers in obtaining secret information. But because no evidence was yet submitted besides his testimony, Whittaker produced several rolls of film, letters and notes about the State Department that was written in Hiss's own handwriting to prove he was telling the truth. These documents were called the "pumpkin papers" because Chambers revealed the evidence at his farmhouse from inside a hollow pumpkin.
Alger Hiss was later convicted of perjury for lying under oath when he denied any involvement with Chambers and was sent to jail. |
The Rosenberg Trials
In 1950, fear of communism peaked when British scientist Julius Rosenberg and his wife Ethel were charged with heading a Soviet spy ring. The couple admitted to being members of the Communist Party however denied the charges that they were feeding information to the Soviet Union about America's atom bomb. But because this was a time of anti-Communist frenzy and fear was excessive, the FBI condemned the Rosenbergs to death.
Many people believed, and still do today, that the Rosenbergs were innocent and that the government was too hasty in charging them; the government tried to largely control, by questionable means, subversive activity and in the process undermined the Rosenbergs' freedom by not giving them a rational trial. |
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were charged with espionage and executed on June 19, 1953.
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On the home front during the mid-1900s, communism taking over America was one of the most widely contemplated fears, most commonly known as the "Red Scare". Some Americans believed that communists had infiltrated industries such as the art and music industries, and some believed that communists were already in the government, constantly gaining secret information to relinquish to the soviets. A massive hunt for communists within the government was lead by a Wisconsin Senator that could be viewed as a violation of human rights
The Red Scare (Social)
The Red Scare began in 1945 when a clerk named Igor Gouzenko was found carrying documents revealing efforts made by the Soviet Union to infiltrate Canadian and U.S. governments and organizations to find out information about the atom bomb. America, alarmed by the fact that soviet spies were already active and infiltrating the government, believed that Communist subversion was slowly creeping into U.S. culture.
In order to prevent the spreading, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was formed in 1938 to investigate fascist and communist activities in the U.S. The HUAC held public hearings on communist subversion that could potentially reveal "sinister un-American activities". People suspected of being a communist were unaware that their phones were being wiretapped by the HUAC and that the FBI could hear their conversations. J. Edgar Hoover (director of the FBI at the time) also exposed social groups suspected of subversion. Both of these actions one could say, violated one's basic rights to privacy in the home and privacy for oneself. But the HUAC was only a small part of the anticommunist hysteria in America during the 1950s. |
McCarthyism (Political)
"I have here in my hand a list of two hundred and five people that were known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping the policy of the State Department." |
Because communist names were not known or easily attainable, Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy found his own methods for identifying communists within American society. His tactics were known as "McCarthyism". He very questionably hunted U.S. State Department Officials and before the Senate, made random accusations with practically no evidence or proof. He also went on to attack and bully the U.S. Army, investigating army officials and army veterans, accusing them of misconduct and harassing them.
McCarthy was in the national spotlight as he made his wild allegations, but some were not as impressed. Many believed that McCarthy was disrespectful in his endeavors to uncover communists within society and therefore led army lawyer Joseph Welch to stand up against the wrongdoing: "Until this moment, I think I never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness....You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?" Welch was the first to put an end to McCarthy's endless hectoring which was only more justified when the Senate passed a vote of censure against McCarthy, shaming him for his behavior through formal disapproval. McCarthy's tactics of trying to limit subversive activity on the home front went too far and not only insulted U.S. citizens, but violated some of their benefits. |
The Music and Art Industry During the Cold War (Arts/Ideas)
The cold war had a major impact on the performing arts, music, paintings, books, and the film industry. Films were produced about secret operations and puns were made on the atomic bomb and made into songs like, "Atom Bomb Baby" and "Atomic Boogie". Books were also written about a possible horrific future if a bomb was to wipe out America.
Because these industries were growing and public opinion swayed, there was public fear that they too had been infiltrated by communists. |
Historical Connections
Prior to the Cold War, America experienced communism and gradually learned to fear it. During different times, America experienced a range of fear and violations of personal freedom that led to the distrust and instability within the government.
U.S. as a World Power
The United State's obsession with being a world power was partly due to militarism, when the U.S. became determined to build up a huge arson of weapons to intimidate neighbors. This was partly due to fear because fear causes tension and makes people defensive. Fear causing defense often leads to the need to be strong, or building up to have a strong economy, so in part the U.S. being a world power was related to imperialism.
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Progressive Era
During the Progressive Era, the government failed to enforce laws with regulation, eventually building up to excessive corruption. The government abused it's power by not controlling bosses and political machines, therefore bringing the need for exposure so reformation could take place. However, this exposure was a huge vulnerability to the government because it could easily be manipulated and dominated. Similarly during the Cold War, the government was unstable, and tried to limit communist corruption to prevent the repeat of instability that happened during the Progressive Era, but this time did so through cryptic means and possibly damaged the U.S. even more.
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World War I Causes and the Home Front
In world war one, fear of foreigners dominated American civilians. "The Espionage Act of 1917 made it illegal to aid the enemy, give false reports, or interfere with the war effort" (330The American Vision Textbook). Obstructing with war was a serious fear because one could not take action to what they thought was right. Also, "The Sedition Act of 1918 made it illegal to speak against the war publicly" (330The American Vision Textbook). The Sedition Act could be seen as a violation of personal freedoms because the first amendment includes the freedom of speech. Both these acts generated fear within society because the government was legitimately passing laws that broke constitutional rights.
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Roaring 20s
The Palmer Raids, from 1918 to 1921, was a program launched by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer to uncover political radicals and leaders, or in other words, communists. Without justifiable cause or warrants, government agents bombarded offices, houses and union halls in search for these communists.
The Deportation Act of 1918 "authorized the deportation of any alien who: [1] opposed all organized government (anarchism); [2] advocated the authorized the deportation of any alien who: [1] opposed all organized government (anarchism); [2] advocated the overthrow of the government "by force or violence"; or [3] belonged to any organization teaching these views." The Secretary of Labor later ruled that communism promoted violent revolution and therefore anyone belonging to the Communist Party could be deported. The Palmer Raids were a strong setting and background for fear that would later help establish more fear during the cold war. |
Great Depression and New Deal
The Great Depression was a time of vulnerability for the U.S. Government and it's citizens because America was easily manipulated by different groups and concepts. During the beginning of the depression though, communists spent an exorbitant amount of time besieging social fascists such as trade unionists, New Dealers, and Musteites. Only a year later did communists realize that it would be to their benefit if they joined together with unionists and New Dealers to gain lots of influence in society. They did this by becoming leaders of organizations and projects in society, by aiding the unemployed, by defending civil rights, and by befriending the soviet union. Although this influence did not last long, Americans realized that communists had the ability to become prominent in U.S. society, which was a serious fear.
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Significance in Today's Society
In today's society, there is still a fear of radical groups becoming too powerful and overthrowing the government. An ongoing issue that is constantly debated is how the government controls these possible threats.
Because the stability of the government is never guaranteed to be strong, radical groups with strong political view points have the potential to undermine the current government and potentially conquer said government. This is a fear that will never completely go away as long as American society remains divided into different political and social groups.
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