Activities of FBI in Late 1940s and Emergence of McCarthyism in United States

Cover Page

Cite item

Full Text

Abstract

This article examines the shifts in the policy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States in relation to the onset of the Cold War. It highlights that President Truman, unlike his predecessor Franklin Roosevelt, had a markedly different perspective on the Bureau's operations, emphasizing the necessity of compelling this agency to adhere strictly to laws and other legal norms. The analysis reveals that in the context of confrontation with the White House, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover sought collaboration with ultra-conservative factions from both political parties. It is shown that Hoover initiated a campaign against communist influence in the United States, with the underlying aim of circumventing national leadership to further the objectives of the FBI. Notably, in 1950, a leader emerged among Hoover's supporters—Senator Joseph McCarthy. The rapidly coalescing "McCarthyite" movement gained influence and, in alliance with the Bureau, fostered an atmosphere of suspicion in America to hold accountable those individuals and organizations deemed by federal agents to be linked to Soviet intelligence or "disloyal." This article analyzes the complexities in the relationship between the FBI and the White House, characterizes the beginning of the Bureau's collaboration with radical conservatives in Congress, and traces the origins of McCarthyism. It also explores the evolution of public campaigns against communism, examines the associated repressions, and assesses the impact of the "loss" of China on this campaign and the president's stance.

About the authors

Ya. A. Levin

Samara State Technical University

Email: yaroslavlevin1992@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-8805-8220

References

  1. Allegations of Espionage Activity by Owen Lattimore. — Pp. 2—4 // National Archives and Records Administration. RG. 65. Federal Bureau of Investigation. File : 100—24628 (Owen Lattimore).
  2. Baltimore FBI to HQ. 9 September 1949 // National Archives and Records Administration. RG. 65. Federal Bureau of Investigation. File : 100—24628 (Owen Lattimore).
  3. DeLoach C. Hoover’s FBI : The Inside Story by Hoover’s Trusted Lieutenant / C. DeLoach. — New York : Regnery History, 1995. — 440 р.
  4. FBI Oral History Heritage Project. Memoir of Former Special Agent of the FBI John T. Conway (1950—1956). — 2009. — P. 22.
  5. Hoover J. E. How to Fight Communism / J. E. Hoover // Newsweek. — 9.06.1947. — Pp. 30—40.
  6. Hoover to McCarthy. 23 August 1950 // National Archives and Records Administration. RG. 65. Federal Bureau of Investigation. File : 67—561 (J. Edgar Hoover Official & Confidential (O&C) Files).
  7. Hoover to Nichols. 13 July 1950 // National Archives and Records Administration. RG. 65. Federal Bureau of Investigation. File : 67—561 (J. Edgar Hoover Official & Confidential (O&C) Files).
  8. HQ Letter to Baltimore FBI. 4 March 1949 // National Archives and Records Administration. RG. 65. Federal Bureau of Investigation. File : 100—24628 (Owen Lattimore).
  9. L. B. Nichols to Mr. Tolson. 8 February 1943 // National Archives and Records Administration. RG. 65. Federal Bureau of Investigation. File : 67—571 (J. Edgar Hoover’s Official and Personal Letters — China). Memo re : Soong Family.
  10. Letter from Owen Lattimore. 6 May 1950 // Library of Congress (далее — LoC). Owen Lattimore papers, 1907—1997. MSS80712. Series 7 : Eleanor Holgate Lattimore Files, 1924—1970.
  11. Memo from Director Hoover to Lawrence M. C. Smith, chief of Special War Policies Unit. 15 January 1943 // National Archives and Records Administration. RG. 65. Federal Bureau of Investigation. File : 67—571 (J. Edgar Hoover’s Official and Personal Letters — China).
  12. Memorandum for the Director. 12 March 1950 // National Archives and Records Administration. Record Group 65. Federal Bureau of Investigation. File : 100—398328 (Joseph McCarthy).
  13. SAC Philadelphia to Director. 24 February 1949 // National Archives and Records Administration. RG. 65. Federal Bureau of Investigation. File : 65—2400 (Jay David Whittaker Chambers).
  14. Wisconsin Office to Nathan. 8 April 1952 // National Archives and Records Administration. RG. 65. Federal Bureau of Investigation. File : 100—398328 (Joseph McCarthy).
  15. Холодная война. 1945—1963 гг. / отв. ред. Н. И. Егорова. — Москва : ОЛМА Медиа Групп, 2003. — 638 с. — ISBN 5-224-04305-0.
  16. Чернявский Г. И. Трумэн (ЖЗЛ) / Г. И. Чернявский, Л. Л. Дубова. — Москва : Молодая гвардия, 2016. — 479 с. — ISBN 978-5-235-03891-2.
  17. Baime A. J. The Accidental President : Harry S. Truman and the Four Months that Changed the World / A. J. Baime. — New York : Mariner Books, 2017. — 464 р.
  18. Demaris O. The Director: An Oral Biography of J. Edgar Hoover / O. Demaris. — New York : Harpers Magazine Press, 1975. — 405 р.
  19. Klehr H. The Amerasia Spy Case : Prelude to McCarthysm / H. Klehr, R. Radosh. — Chapell Hill (NC) : The University of North Carolina Press, 1996. — 280 р.
  20. Lewis L. S. The Cold War and Academic Governance : The Lattimore Case at Johns Hopkins / L. S. Lewis. — New York : State University of New York Press, 1996. — 342 p.
  21. Newman R. P. Owen Lattimore and the Loss of China / R. P. Newman. — Berkeley (CA) : University of California Press, 1992. — 685 р.
  22. O’Reilly K. Hoover and the Un-Americans : The FBI, HUAC, and the Red Menace / K. O’Reilly. — Temple (PA) : Temple University Press, 1983. — 411 p.
  23. Pakula H. The Last Empress : Madame Chiang Kaishek and the birth of modern China / H. Pakula. — New York : Simon & Schuster, 2009. — 816 р.
  24. Purifoy L. Harry Truman’s China Policy : McCarthyism and the Diplomacy of Hysteria, 1947—1951 / L. Purifoy. — New York : New Viewpoints, 1976. — 316 р.
  25. Savage S. J. Truman and the Democratic Party / S. J. Savage. — Lexington (KY) : University Press of Kentucky, 2021. — 320 р.
  26. Schrecker E. Many are the Crimes : McCarthyism in America / E. Schrecker. — Boston (MA) : Little, Brown and Company, 1998. — 573 р.
  27. Schrecker E. No Ivory Tower : McCarthyism and the Universities / E. Schrecker. — London (UK) : Oxford University Press, 1986. — 445 р.
  28. Schrecker E. The Age of McCarthyism : a Brief History with documents / E. Schrecker. — Boston (MA) : Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2002. — 308 р.
  29. Tanner H. M. Where Chiang Kaishek Lost China : The Liao-Shen Campaign, 1948 / H. M. Tanner. — Bloomington (IN) : Indiana University Press, 2015. — 384 р.
  30. The FBI : A Comprehensive Reference Guide / ed. by Theoharis A. G. — New York : Greenwood, 2000. — 424 р.
  31. The Home Front : World War II and American Society / ed. by O’Brien K. P., Parsons L. H. — Westport (CT) : Praeger, 1995. — 224 р.
  32. The Origins of the Cold War / ed. by Paterson T. G., McMahon R. J. — Madison (WI) : D. C. Heath and Company, 1999. — 367 р.
  33. Theoharis A. G. Seeds of Repression : Harry S. Truman and the Origins of McCarthyism / A. G. Theoharis. — New York : Quadrangle Books, 1977. — 238 р.
  34. Theoharis A. G. The Boss. J. Edgar Hoover and the Great American Inquisition / A. G. Theoharis, J. S. Cox. — Temple (PA) : Temple University Press, 1988. — 489 p.
  35. Theoharis A. G. Truman Presidency: The Origins of the Imperial Presidency and the National Security State / A. G. Theoharis. — Stanfordville (NY) : Earl M. Coleman Enterprises, 1979. — 396 p.
  36. Tyson Li L. Madame Chiang Kaishek : China’s Eternal First Lady / L. Tyson Li. — New York : Grove Press, 2006. — 576 р.

Supplementary files

Supplementary Files
Action
1. JATS XML
Download

Copyright (c) 2025 Levin Y.A.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Согласие на обработку персональных данных

 

Используя сайт https://journals.rcsi.science, я (далее – «Пользователь» или «Субъект персональных данных») даю согласие на обработку персональных данных на этом сайте (текст Согласия) и на обработку персональных данных с помощью сервиса «Яндекс.Метрика» (текст Согласия).