Communism:As seen by most Americans

1940s-1990s

What did Americans understand about Communism?

• Though other countries turned to Communism during this time period, the country that best illustrated it for Americans was the Soviet Union

• At the root of Communism was an overthrow of the upper class, the government, and the established system (Capitalism and Democracy)

• Somewhere around 20 million people died under the leadership of Stalin due to quick political murders and slow starvations

• Communism started in just Russia but spread to the surrounding countries (which became part of the Soviet Union) and then Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam, China, Albania, South Yemen, and more.

Soviet Union

The Spread of Communism (1960)

What did Americans fear about the Soviet Union?

• “The Soviets” had the atomic bomb and Americans were afraid they would use it

• A race to have the best technology (weapons, satellites, communications, etc) was on!– Space Race– Arms Race

• The Soviets might have (and did have, but not in the amount some suspected) spies planted throughout the US

• Many were afraid Communism would spread to the US like a disease through the ideas of secret Communists hidden in American towns…or Congress

American Reactions and Policies• Domino Theory: If one country fell to Communism, the

surrounding countries would soon fall, too• Marshall Plan: rebuild Europe economically after WWII so

that its countries wouldn’t want to turn to Communism• Containment: US plan to keep Communism from

spreading– Prevent idea conditions using economic help (Marshall Plan)– When the USSR was aggressively expanding, fight back and

stop them• McCarthyism: A witch-hunt for potential Communists in

American government and Hollywood

The Domino Theory

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZh0C7cz_j0

• (Except add Laos and Cambodia)

McCarthyism: "Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party of the United States?"

• Joseph McCarthy, a senator, gave a speech in 1950 where he held up a list of 205 names of “known” and “card-carrying” Communists in the American government– A witch-hunt began to search out the accused (and others)– Many were accused, though there were no convictions for subversion by the end– Many actors and writers in Hollywood were accused and blacklisted (put on a list so

that they would never be hired again)…some returned to work after the 1950s, but some never worked again

– “McCarthyism” became a term to describe accusing people of disloyalty without real evidence

• The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) had been formed in 1938 to root out unpatriotic activities (like being Communist)… the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee also took care of such investigations after McCarthyism died down

• J. Edgar Hoover (head of the FBI) assigned 400 agents to root out Communists and only 4 to organized crime

How to spot a Communist

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkYl_AH-qyk&feature=related

End of Ze World: What People Feared

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95NfCJMF07E

Duck and Cover: Film to educate children on how to respond to an atomic bomb explosion

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKqXu-5jw60

Boy Meets…the Cold War

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3vrkA6eoE0

• 1:15• 6:00-11ish

Rocky and Bullwinkle: 1960s and 1970s

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHqy-chPMnM

Rambo

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVUCdy36TKE

James Bond

Rocky

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8xHjC27YvM

Conclusion:

• Sylvester Stallone defeated Communism.• The end.