House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
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Who did HUAC expose in American society?
- HUAC primarily exposed individuals and groups that it labeled as communist or associated with communist activities. This included Hollywood figures, writers, and educators, with many targets being members of the Communist Party or those accused of having leftist sympathies.
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What could people plead if they didn’t want to answer the Committee's questions?
- Individuals could plead the Fifth Amendment, which protects against self-incrimination, allowing them the right to refuse to answer questions that might incriminate them.
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What did the lack of evidence on individuals they were accusing/questioning turn into?
- The lack of evidence often resulted in the use of character assassination and public accusations. It turned into a culture of fear and paranoia, with many individuals facing ruinous consequences even without substantiated evidence against them.
The Hollywood Ten
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Why did they call the Hollywood Ten the Hollywood Ten?
- The term "Hollywood Ten" refers to a group of ten screenwriters and directors who were blacklisted for refusing to cooperate with HUAC during its investigations into alleged communist influence in the film industry. They famously refused to testify and named names.
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What happened to the Hollywood Ten?
- The Hollywood Ten were cited for contempt of Congress and received prison sentences. After their release, they found it nearly impossible to work in Hollywood and faced severe professional and social repercussions, leading to long-lasting blacklists.
McCarthyism
- Why did Senator McCarthy's speech in West Virginia scare the public?
- Senator McCarthy's speech claimed that communists had infiltrated the government and other vital institutions. By alleging that there were numerous communists in the U.S. State Department, he sparked widespread fear and paranoia about the presence of communism in American life.
The McCarran Act
- Why did the United States pass the McCarran Act?
- The McCarran Internal Security Act was enacted in 1950 to restrict the activities of "domestic communist organizations" and to protect national security. It aimed to identify and investigate individuals involved in subversive activities and required communist organizations to register with the government.
McCarthy's Rise and Fall
- What was McCarthyism?
- McCarthyism refers to the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper evidence, especially in the context of the anti-communist sentiments of the 1950s. It is characterized by aggressive investigations and public accusations against people suspected of communist affiliations or sympathies.
McCarthy Takes on the Army
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What did McCarthy claim about the US military?
- McCarthy accused the U.S. Army of being infiltrated by communists and suggested that there were high-level communist sympathizers within the military, compromising national security.
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What happened to McCarthy after taking on the US military?
- McCarthy's confrontational stance against the Army led to the Army-McCarthy hearings, which were televised and exposed him to public scrutiny. His aggressive tactics and lack of evidence ultimately resulted in a loss of support, leading to his censure by the Senate in 1954 and a significant decline in his influence.
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