Final answer:
The correct answer is option a. The film industry was the first significant postwar target for HUAC due to fear of communist influence in media. HUAC aimed to get rid of Communist influences in Hollywood by investigating and subpoenaing witnesses, which led to the creation of a blacklist for individuals suspected of Communist sympathies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The film industry was the first significant postwar target for the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) due to fear of communist influence in media. After World War II, there was a concern that subversives were promoting Soviet propaganda through the production of pro-Soviet films.
HUAC aimed to get rid of Communist influences in Hollywood by investigating and subpoenaing witnesses, which led to the creation of a blacklist for individuals suspected of Communist sympathies.