1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Hey, y'all, Eve's here. Today's episode contains not just one, 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: but two nuggets of history. Consider it a double feature. 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: Enjoy the show. Hi, I'm Eves, and welcome to This 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: Day in History Class, a show that on covers history 5 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: one day at a time. The day was April two, 6 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty four. U S. Senator Joseph McCarthy began hearings 7 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: investigating the U. S. Army for being soft on a communism. 8 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,639 Speaker 1: The hearings were broadcast on the ABC and Dumont networks 9 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:44,839 Speaker 1: until June seventeenth, and they became a congressional spectacle. In 10 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: the early nineteen fifties, television was a growing medium in 11 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: the United States, Televised congressional hearings were just gaining steam. 12 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: In March of nineteen fifty one, somewhere around thirty million 13 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: people watched the Key Father Committee hearing. To the surprise 14 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 1: of network executives, the hearings put organized crime big shots 15 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 1: on the stand and in front of millions of Americans 16 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: who had their eyes glued to the screen. It was 17 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: the most widely viewed congressional investigation ever. So the Army 18 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: McCarthy hearings were not the first ever hearing to be broadcast, 19 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: but they did get Gavel to Gabble TV coverage in 20 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: tons of attention. The period in the nineteen forties and 21 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,919 Speaker 1: nineteen fifties in America when a fear of communism was pervasive, 22 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: it's known as the Red Scare. During this time, the 23 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: House un American Activities Committee rooted out communists in the 24 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: federal government and political subversives in Hollywood. Senator McCarthy was 25 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: a prominent anti communist figure during this time, as he 26 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: hurled accusations of communism at celebrities and his opponents. He 27 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 1: caused people their reputations and livelihoods by manipulating the media 28 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: and smearing their names. McCarthy's bold accusations got him a 29 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: lot of attention and he became a divisive figure. Many 30 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: people saw his actions as patriotism, while others viewed them 31 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 1: as self serving and over zealous. Regardless, McCarthy's antics continued. 32 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: His constant attacks on suspected communists were becoming a political 33 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: problem once Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower took office in 34 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty three, and by nineteen fifty four he was 35 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: falling out of favor, but McCarthy couldn't let his fame 36 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:37,359 Speaker 1: and importance to the administration fade. When G. David Shine, 37 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,799 Speaker 1: one of his former investigators, was drafted into the army, 38 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: McCarthy's Chief council Roy M. Kohne, pressured military officials to 39 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 1: give Shine special privileges, but the army refused. Issuing a 40 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 1: chronology of how Cone pressured the army to give Shine 41 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: preferential treatment, so McCarthy said that the army was holding 42 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 1: Shine hostage, so he couldn't spose communists in the military. 43 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which McCarthy chaired, voted 44 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 1: for an inquiry into his charges that the army was 45 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 1: soft on communism. The hearings would have live television coverage. 46 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: McCarthy was replaced as chair by Senator Carl Munt and 47 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 1: the hearings began on April ninety four. Over the thirty 48 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: six days of hearings, McCarthy's outbursts and harsh demeanor did 49 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: not vote will for his future in Congress. He often 50 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: yelled point of order when he didn't like something that 51 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 1: was said, and he interrupted people frequently. One of the 52 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: most memorable moments of the investigation came during his exchange 53 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: with the Army's Chief Council, Joseph Welch, when McCarthy suggested 54 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: Fred Fisher, a lawyer in Wilch's Boston law firm, was 55 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: a Communist sympathizer. Wilch responded, in part, let us not 56 00:03:56,080 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 1: assassinate this lab further, Senator, you've done enough. Have you 57 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: no sense of decency? Sir? At long last? Have you 58 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: left no sense of decency. After the exchange was over, 59 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 1: the gallery applauded television coverage of the hearings had done 60 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 1: McCarthy no favors. After calling out McCarthy's staff for potentially 61 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 1: harboring subversives, Senator Stuart Symington said near the end of 62 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,600 Speaker 1: the investigation, the American people have had a look at 63 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 1: you for six weeks. You are not fooling anyone. The 64 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: committee concluded that Cone, but not McCarthy, engaged in unduly 65 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:37,919 Speaker 1: persistent or aggressive efforts and trying to get shine privileges, 66 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 1: and the committee said the Army had exhibited some suspicious behaviors, 67 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 1: though no charges were upheld against the Army. The hearings 68 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: played a huge role in McCarthy's downfall, though they were 69 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 1: good for the TV networks press about McCarthy grew more negative. 70 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: His approval ratings were dropping. Soon he was replaced as 71 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 1: chairman of the Investigating Committee, and in December nineteen fifty four, 72 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 1: the Senate voted to since you're him for conduct contrary 73 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:11,279 Speaker 1: to Senate traditions. Still, McCarthy continued to spout anti communist rhetoric. 74 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: He died in nineteen fifty seven. I'm Eves Jeff Coo 75 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 1: and hopefully you know a little more about history today 76 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 1: than you did yesterday. You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, 77 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:29,840 Speaker 1: and Facebook at T D I h C podcast. Thank 78 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 1: you for joining me today. See you same place, same 79 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: time tomorrow. Hey y'all, it's Eves again and welcome to 80 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,160 Speaker 1: this same history class, a show that proves every day 81 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: in history is fascinating. The day was April nineteen fifteen. 82 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: The Germans released chlorine gas during the Second Battle of Ipra, 83 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: marking the first effective use of poison gas on the 84 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,920 Speaker 1: Western Front. Chemical weapons have been used for hundreds of years. 85 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 1: At the end of the nineteenth century and into the twentie, 86 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:20,479 Speaker 1: treaties and declarations began acknowledging the issue of poison gases 87 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:24,279 Speaker 1: by forbidding the use of poisons in warfare. The Hague 88 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: Conventions of eighteen ninety nine and nineteen oh seven, for instance, 89 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 1: forbade the use of poison and poisoned weapons, but this 90 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: rule was violated in the First World War. World War 91 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 1: One is sometimes referred to as the chemist's War because 92 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: of the role chemicals and technology played in the conflict. Chlorine, phosgene, 93 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: and mustard gas all caused many deaths and injuries during 94 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 1: the war. The production and deployment of these gases posed 95 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: a health threat to combatants, civilians, and people involved in 96 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: their manufacturing processes. Once the war began, Germany put a 97 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: lot of effort into researching and producing these chemical agents. 98 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: German chemistry Fritz Haber helped develop Germany's poison gas program. 99 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: Haber headed the kaiser Villehelm Institute for Physical Chemistry and 100 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 1: electro Chemistry. He was also given an Army captaincy and 101 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 1: led the chemistry section at the Ministry of War in Berlin, 102 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: helping coordinate the production of ammonia needed in the war. 103 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 1: Many people condemned Harbor for his role in chemical warfare, 104 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 1: though he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in nineteen 105 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: eighteen for the synthesis of ammonia from its elements. Swedish 106 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: pharmacist Carl Wilhelm Schula discovered chlorine back in the late 107 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: seventeen hundreds. As a gas, chlorine is a greenish yellow color, 108 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: and it is two and a half times heavier than air. 109 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 1: Though chlorine is used in some household products and in 110 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 1: drinking water, it can be used as a poisonous gas. 111 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,679 Speaker 1: Chlorine gas stays close to the ground in areas without 112 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 1: wind and spreads rapidly. It is very toxic to humans. 113 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 1: When a person breathes chlorine gas, it reacts with moist 114 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: tissues like the eyes, throat, and lungs to form acid inhaling. 115 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 1: Low levels can cause eye, skin, and airway irritation, as 116 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: well as a sore throat and cough. Exposure to higher 117 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: levels of chlorine gas can cause chest tightness, wheezing, shortness 118 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: of breath, and bronco spasm. If a person is severely exposed, 119 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 1: they could get pulmonary edema, a condition caused by excess 120 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 1: fluid in the lungs. Chlorine gas is easy to produce 121 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:39,200 Speaker 1: and handle. Howber turns to chlorine gas for use in 122 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 1: chemical warfare. The French launched tier gas attacks against the 123 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:47,439 Speaker 1: Germans early in World War One, and early in nineteen fifteen, 124 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: the Germans fired thousands of shells filled with the irritant 125 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: zylil bromide at Russian troops at Bolimof. In this case, 126 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: the weather was cold and the chemical could not vaporize 127 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: to pose any threat to the Russians. But on the 128 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:05,560 Speaker 1: evening of April nineteen fifteen, during the Second Battle of Ipra, 129 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 1: the Germans released nearly two hundred tons of chlorine gas 130 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: from cylinders buried along the front. The gas attack created 131 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: a several mile gap in the Allied line defending the city. 132 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:20,720 Speaker 1: Though it poisoned many of the soldiers and caused panic, 133 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: the Germans failed to take effective action and its aftermath, 134 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 1: and the Allies held the Ebra position. Poison gas continued 135 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: to be a part of warfare in World War One. 136 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:35,559 Speaker 1: Technology and training continued to progress on both the offensive 137 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: and defensive sides of gas warfare. The Allies developed gas 138 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 1: mass and the Germans introduced mustard gas in nineteen seventeen. 139 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: Somewhere between ninety thousand and one hundred thousand people died 140 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 1: due to chemical weapons in the war, with most of 141 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: those deaths caused by phosgene. During and after the First 142 00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 1: World War, nations like the US, Britain, Italy, Russia, Spain, 143 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: and Japan used chemical weapons and conflicts. The Chemical Weapons Convention, 144 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 1: which took effect in bands the development, production, stockpiling, and 145 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:16,839 Speaker 1: use of chemical weapons, though it has been violated. I'm 146 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: each Jeff Code and hopefully you know a little more 147 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:22,920 Speaker 1: about history today than you did yesterday. And if you 148 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 1: have any comments or suggestions that you'd like to send 149 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 1: our way, you can do so on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. 150 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 1: We're at t d i h C podcast. You can 151 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 1: also send us an email at this Day at I 152 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:37,960 Speaker 1: heeart media dot com. Thanks again for listening to the 153 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:50,199 Speaker 1: show and we'll see you tomorrow. For more podcasts from 154 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: my Heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 155 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.