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The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) began investigating Hollywood, leading to the “Hollywood Ten” being blacklisted for refusing to testify about communist ties. -
Former State Department official Alger Hiss denied being a Soviet spy, but Whittaker Chambers accused him, sparking controversy and suspicion. -
The Smith Act trials targeted Communist Party leaders, convicting many of attempting to overthrow the government. -
Senator McCarthy claimed to have a list of communists working in the U.S. State Department, igniting nationwide hysteria. -
The Internal Security Act required communist organizations to register with the government and allowed detention of suspected subversives. -
The outbreak of the Korean War heightened fears of communism spreading globally and domestically. -
Hiss was convicted of perjury for denying espionage, reinforcing fears of communist infiltration in government. -
The Rosenbergs were found guilty of passing atomic secrets to the Soviets, intensifying public fear of internal communist threats. -
This order allowed the dismissal of federal employees suspected of “disloyalty,” expanding the Red Scare into government employment. -
Televised hearings revealed McCarthy’s aggressive tactics as he accused the U.S. Army of harboring communists, damaging his credibility. -
The Senate formally censured McCarthy for his conduct, marking the decline of his influence and the fading of the Red Scare. -
The atomic scientist was accused of communist ties and stripped of security clearance, showing how fear reached even top scientists.