Supporters of the committee, on the other hand, believed that its efforts were justified given the grave threat to U.S.
These critics argued that most people who were called before the committee had broken no laws, but instead were targeted for their political beliefs or for exercising their right to free speech. They lost their jobs and were effectively prevented from working in their chosen industry.Ĭritics claimed that HUAC’s tactics amounted to a witch hunt that trampled on citizens’ rights and ruined their careers and reputations. In addition, those who refused to cooperate were often blacklisted by their employers. Subjects of HUAC investigations had the option of invoking their right to avoid self-incrimination under the Fifth Amendment, but “pleading the Fifth” created the impression that they were guilty of a crime. Individuals who refused to answer the committee’s questions or to provide names could be indicted for contempt of Congress and sent to prison. How a Malaria Scare at the Start of World War II Gave Rise to the CDC
Its defenders argued it uncovered vital information that bolstered national security, while critics charged it was a partisan tool bent on discrediting the New Deal programs of President Franklin D. From the outset, the committee proved to be a source of political discord. Upon its formation in 1938, the official role of the House Un-American Activities Committee was to investigate Communist and fascist organizations that had become active during the Great Depression, though it also examined the activities of other groups on the political left. The Cold War: Investigating the Red Menace Although it ceased issuing subpoenas that year, its operations continued until 1975. By the late 1950s and early 1960s, HUAC’s influence was in decline, and in 1969 it was renamed the Committee on Internal Security. HUAC’s controversial tactics contributed to the fear, distrust and repression that existed during the anticommunist hysteria of the 1950s. This intimidating atmosphere often produced dramatic but questionable revelations about Communists infiltrating American institutions and subversive actions by well-known citizens. Established in 1938, the committee wielded its subpoena power as a weapon and called citizens to testify in high-profile hearings before Congress. during the early years of the Cold War (1945-91). House of Representatives, investigated allegations of communist activity in the U.S. The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), a committee of the U.S.
The Cold War: Investigating the Red Menace.