The Cold war
The Cold war is said to have started right after World War II in 1947 and lasted until 1991. During World War II, both the United States and the Soviet Union joined together to form the Allies powers and fought against the Axis powers. In spite of this pact they formed, their relationship was apprehensive. Reason why their relationship was so tense was because the involvement that The Soviet Union had with Communism. In fact, by 1947 after the end of the World War II, the United States came up with a strategy that would defend them from the spread of Communism. Their strategy was containment. As a result, American officials planned for and increase production of atomic weapons to enforce their new strategy of containment. The start of this new idea caused for a full on “arms race” that most Americans were afraid of. While the USSR built their first atom bomb, president Truman announced the production of the first hydrogen bomb. In addition families began to build their bomb shelters in their homes in case of any attacks. In addition, the arms race expanded to space. While all this was going on, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) began holding hearings. The HUAC began turning people who worked for the movie industry against each other. Many lost their jobs and were blacklisted. As a result, individuals who were blacklisted were never able to get another job again. Out of the many blacklisted, Edward Dmytryk confesses to the HUAC the reasons why the Communist Party went into Hollywood. He states by saying that the Communist Party had the “determination to “control the content of motion picture” by taking over the writing and acting guilds and the unions”.[1]Before this confession to the HUAC, all people said that they were communist and accused them; however, they never really had sufficient evidence to prove that if their arguments were right. Before Dmytryk confessed, the HUAC held hearings with others blacklisted and would attempted to force and proof that they were guilty in a way where they were just asking them and forcing them to say yes rather than using logical reasoning. In fact, one of the Hollywood ten was asked the famous question “Are you now or have you ever been?”[2]As you can you, the committee only asked him the question, but could not find evidence that would prove him guilty of affiliation with communism. Lawson on the other hand answers in a unique way where the committee is challenged. He says that the committee’s plan is to “invade the basic rights of American citizens in all fields.”2 Finally, before Dmytryk confession about the Communist Party and the reasons why they were active in Hollywood, the HUAC never had the sufficient and probably reason to accuse the Hollywood ten. By August 1991, the Cold War had ended.
[1] “Ex-Red Exposes Hollywood Inside Story,” Los Angeles Times, April 26, 1951, http://search.proquest.com/docview/166213323/141B958436D7CE3B639/1?accountid=10351.
[2] Alan Casty, Communism in Hollywood: The Moral Paradoxes of Testimony, Silence, and Betrayal, (Toronto: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2009).
[2] Alan Casty, Communism in Hollywood: The Moral Paradoxes of Testimony, Silence, and Betrayal, (Toronto: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2009).