Chapter 19: Cold War Politics "Un-American Hearings"

Introduction In this chapter, you learned that the cold war and the spread of communism reawakened the Red Scare of the 1940s. Responding to Americans' growing fears, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) initiated hearings in 1947 to locate Communists hiding in Washington, Hollywood, and anywhere in between. This Web site provides transcripts of the hearings that detail the testimonies of four "friendly" Hollywood witnesses. Those witnesses—a writer, a movie star, a producer, and a future United States president—helped fuel the fear that communism was alive and active in Hollywood. Read the transcripts to find out how the hunt for Communist sympathizers ignited a nationwide panic that the "commies" had penetrated every facet of American life. Destination Title: CNN Cold War Note: Clicking on the link above will launch a new browser window. Need help using your browser for this activity? Click here for tips. Directions Start at the CNN Cold War Web site. To read through each transcript, click on the name of the topic. Use your "Back" browser button to return to the main page. Browse through the site, taking notes as you go. After you have read through the information, answer the following questions. 1. What was the purpose of each of the witnesses' testimonies? 2. How did the witnesses characterize Communists' recruitment methods? 3. What proof did the witnesses offer when naming suspected Communists? 4. Describe Ronald Reagan's proposal for halting the spread of communism in the United States. 5. Imagine that you are observing the testimonies of the "friendly" witnesses at the 1947 HUAC hearings. On a separate sheet of paper, write a letter to a friend that describes your thoughts of how the hearings could impact citizens' lives. Be sure to relate what the HUAC hopes to uncover, what evidence has been presented, and how the HUAC conducts the hearings.