History of the Future The Cold War Paranoia

History of the Future The Cold War & Paranoia in the 1950 s

As World War II Finishes n Soviet Union has key role in Nazi defeat Builds up international credibility n Strong Communist parties in France, Italy n Asserts new control in E. Europe n n US finishes war as sole Great Power 50% of world manufacturing capability n Most power Army, Navy, Airforce n Only nuclear power n

The US Policy: Containment n US policy from 1947 Soviet expansionism as major world threat n Defensive response, open ended n n Strengthening of international alliances NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) n Bretton Woods (IMF, World Bank) n GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs & Trade) n Marshall Plan (Rebuild Western Europe) n

China n n Mao takes power, 1949 War relations with Soviets through 1950 s n n Korean War begins 1950 n n n West tends to view Communism as monolithic Finishes with battles between Chinese & UN (largely American) troops Result is a draw More paranoia n Manchurian Candidate (1962, from 1959 novel)

Mc. Carthyism n Joseph Mc. Carthy, Republican Senator (19081957) n n Habitual liar, alcoholic Facing defeat in 1950, claims list of 25 communists in State department Smears Truman administration as “Reds” Chairs Committee on Government Operations n n n Many careers destroyed Colleagues turn against after targeting US Army, fellow Republicans Exposed on TV, censured by Senate in 1954

Film Interlude n Anti-communist propaganda film

HUAC n House Committee on Un-American Affairs n n Best known for “Hollywood Hearings” of 19471948 n n n Created in 1938, used by opponents of New Deal 10 screenwriters and directors jailed for contempt uses hearings as political weapon Nixon makes political mark here n Becomes Vice President in 1952

The Rosenberg Case n Julius & Ethel Rosenberg n n n Arrested 1950 (around Korean war) n n n Jointed communist party in 1939 Passed atomic secrets from Manhattan project during WWII Executed 1953 – unusual for civilians Millions believed innocent Other prominent spy trials of era n n Alger Hiss (“pumpkin papers”) Klaus Fuchs

Eisenhower & Politics n n War leader turned president Centrist, non-ideological n n n Accepted reforms of New Deal period Leaned toward corporations Cold war supports domestic truce n “New Deal Order” lasts into 1970 s

Civil Rights & Religion n Cold War puts spotlight on “freedom” n n Intensive activism following WWII n n n MLK exploits cleverly & non-violently Truman desegregates army Brown v. Board of Education case, 1954 Rosa Parks and the bus, 1955 Civil Rights Act 1957, peak comes in 60 s Billy Graham – Christian Revivalism n Massive popularity in 1950 s

Economic Competition n Soviet economy seen as dangerously efficient Used as argument for more planning, simulation, modeling in USA n Used as argument for national scientific database n Challenges capitalism to justify superiority n

Sputnik n First artificial satellite, October 1957 n n Soviet propaganda triumph US effort undermined by political bickering Crisis of confidence results Eventual strengthening of US science n n n Formation of ARPA (funds research) Big boost for high school science, etc. NASA created

George Orwell - 1984 n Orwell – British leftist journalist & novelist n n n Several famous concepts n n n Published 1948 Critique of Stalinism Big Brother Newspeak Doublethink control of past = control of future Influential use of future

Ray Bradbury n Well known as SF writer in 40 s & 50 s Martian Chronicles issued as book 1950 n Fantastic, nostalgic, small town n n Fahrenheit 451 1951 in Galaxy, 1953 as book n Popular dystopia n n Read widely as “mainstream” author

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. n Earliest novels were science fiction Player Piano, 1952 – automation n Sirens of Titan, 1959 – religion n Cat’s Cradle, 1963 – science & morality n n Slaughterhouse-Five, 1969 n n Hugely popular “mainstream” novel Kilgore Trout n recurring character – SF writer

Paranoia: Alien Invasion n Aliens disguised as humans in films n n n Invasion of the Body Snatchers – 1956 I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958) And in Print n The Puppet Masters (Heinlein) – 1951

The Cold War in SF n Surprisingly little direct coverage Other than nuclear aftermath stories n Interest in war stories fades somewhat n n Some treatment of Communists n n Who? (Algis Budrys) – 1958 More general sense of paranoia n Philip K. Dick - Time Out of Joint (1959)

Meanwhile n JRR Tolkien – Lord of the Rings Published 1954 -1955 n Seen as allegory of WWII n n Builds cult following through 1960 s