1950s+America+-+The+Communist+Threat

= Cold War =

The **Cold War** was a period of tension and conflict between the USA and the Soviet Union that spanned from the late 1940s, after World War 2 until the early 1990s. Essentially, America feared that the **Communist ideology** of Russia would spread across the world in a domino effect (called the **domino theory**) - where if one country became Communist, those around it would follow, leading to a new world order. = Communism = "A classless system based on communal ownership of property". = = = HUAC & McCarthyism = This was set up by **Senator Joseph McCarthy**, to investigate people suspected of being Communists and members of the Communist Party. These people were accused of unpatriotic behaviour and were believed to be planning the downfall of the American government. These investigations were a time of paranoia, where people began to "name names" of others who they claimed were Communist sympathisers.
 * The House of Un-American Activities Committee.**

Even if people had **no foundation for their accusations**, they pointed the finger and named names.

Sound familiar? ...