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Public support already existed

Nazi-Soviet Pact

  • Resurrection of strong anticommunist feelings pre-dated the creation of the committee.
  • 1938 election poll: 74% thought HUAC should continue to exist.
  • "Red Fascism" - significance of other events over committee activities
  • Nazi-Soviet pact accentuated fears of communism
  • Strong anti-fascist feelings in US - extension of fears to communism.
  • Changed views of many communist sympathisers - created conflict of interests

The Hollywood Ten

Roosevelt's Contribution

Political campaigns

Alvah Bessie, screenwriter

Herbert Biberman, screenwriter and director

Lester Cole, screenwriter

Edward Dmytryk, director

Ring Lardner Jr., screenwriter

John Howard Lawson, screenwriter

Albert Maltz, screenwriter

Samuel Ornitz, screenwriter

Adrian Scott, producer and screenwriter

Dalton Trumbo, screenwriter

  • Broadened role of FBI
  • Hatch Act, 1939
  • Smith Act, 1940
  • Increased powers of Secretaries of War and Navy

Other factors contributing to resurrection of anti-communism

  • Used to further separate political interests by both parties
  • Democrats: attempting to show they could deal with communism effectively
  • Republicans: Anti-New Deal
  • Public support already existed
  • Roosevelt's contribution
  • Nazi Soviet Pact accentuated fears
  • Political campaigns
  • Congressional opposition to HUAC

Congressional opposition to HUAC

Hollywood Blacklisting

  • Federal Theatre Project, 1938
  • The "Hollywood Ten"
  • High profile media frenzy
  • Public interest in anti-communist politics
  • http://www.history.com/topics/hollywood-ten/speeches#the-hollywood-ten-placed-on-blacklist

Opposition from Congressmen representing:

  • Urban districts
  • Ethnic groups
  • German and Russian immigrants
  • The educated

The House Un-American Activities Committee

Nazi-Soviet Pact

  • Heavily impacted by international conflict
  • Nazi-Soviet pact gave purpose to HUAC
  • Increased anti-communist fears in the US
  • This facilitated a US government offensive on domestic reds

Conclusions

How important was HUAC to the resurrection of anti-communist politics in Washington between 1938 and the early 1950s?

  • Important in maintaining resurrection, not initiating it
  • Pre-existing hostilities
  • HUAC was a reaction to resurrection not the cause

Political Backing

  • Political backing can be seen as more crucial than public support
  • Creation of the committee tied in with FDR's existing anti-radical policies
  • 1938 coalition - Republicans and Southern Democrats blocked liberal measures

Established initial framework

for McCarthyism

  • Dies Committee pioneered "methods of defamation and self-promotion for which Senator McCarthy later received credit."
  • Accusations based on inadequate evidence
  • Turned focus to Communism
  • Hiss Case 1948

America's political hub of

anti-communism

  • Formation in 1938 created specialised governing body
  • First committee in US made primarily for investigating those with fascist or communist ties.

Impact of HUAC on Anti-Communism's Resurrection

House Un-American Activities Committee

  • America's political hub of anti-communism
  • Established initial framework for McCarthyism
  • Political backing
  • Nazi-Soviet Pact encouraged anti-communist hostility
  • Hollywood blacklisting led to high-profile media frenzy
  • Began as Special Investigation Committee under Chairman Martin Dies in 1938
  • Became House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1945
  • Edward J. Hart, 1945-46
  • J. Parnell Thomas, 1947-48
  • John Stephens Wood, 1949-53
  • Became House Committee on Internal Security in 1969
  • Abolished in 1975
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