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