C13L3

Who were Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, and what crime did they commit? What happened to them?

In 1950, the hunt for spies led to the FBI to arrest Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, a NY couple who were members of the Communist Party. The government charged them with spying for the Soviets. The Rosenbergs denied the charges but were condemned to death for espionage. The Rosenbergs were executed in 1953. The Venona documents provided strong evidence that the Rosenbergs were indeed guilty.

Who was Senator Joseph McCarthy, and how did his actions create a media frenzy?

Joseph McCarthy was a little-know Senator from Wisconsin. While giving a speech to a Republican women's group in West Virginia, he claimed to have a list of names of individuals who were Communists and were working in the State Department. In 1953, McCarthy became chairman of the Senate subcommittee on investigations. Investigations became witch-hunts. McCarthy's tactic of damaging reputations with vague, unfounded charges became known as McCarthyism.

Why did Senator McCarthy never show the list he said he had of known Communists in the State Department?

McCarthy never showed the list he claimed to have of known Communists in the State Departments because he had no such list ... he lied. The Senate passed a vote of censure against McCarthy.

Provide examples of Soviet espionage during the Cold War

Some examples: Igor Gouzenko, a clerk working in the Soviet Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, defected with documents showing a Soviet effort to infiltrate government agencies in Canada and the United States 212 Americans were fired for "questionable loyalty" ... despite a lack of actual evidence FBI sent agents to infiltrate groups suspected of subversion Alger Hiss, a diplomat who had served in FDR's administration, was convicted of perjury Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, a NY couple and members of the Communist Party, were executed for espionage Project Venona confirmed Soviet spying and ongoing efforts to steal nuclear secrets

Red Scare (short answer)

a nationwide panic, fears of a Communist revolution in the United States Reinforced by evidence of Soviet espionage in the U.S. and Canada Reinforced by Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy who claimed Communists were working in the State Dept. Led to the deporting, jailing, firing, or wrecked careers of suspected Communists in the U.S. Reinforced by the Soviet development of the Atomic Bomb (A-bomb) and the Hydrogen Bomb (H-bomb) Reinforced by the fall of China to Communism Some Americans purchased or created their own bomb, or fallout, shelters for their homes

subversion

a systematic attempt to overthrow a government by using persons working secretly from within

perjury

lying when one has sworn under oath to tell the truth

fallout

radioactive particles dispersed by a nuclear explosion

censure

to express a formal disapproval of an action

McCarthyism (short answer)

Named after Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy A terms to describe McCarthy's tactic of damaging reputations with vague, unfounded charges Increased, reinforced, the nationwide Red Scare Reinforced by Soviet acts of espionage in the United States Led to the deporting, jailing, firing, or wrecked careers of suspected Communists in the U.S. ... usually with a lack of real evidence.

Did Truman's loyalty review program calm public fears? Why or why not?

No. The president's actions seemed to confirm suspicions that Communists had infiltrated the government.