Final answer:
In response to anti-Communist sentiments, President Harry Truman established the Federal Employees Loyalty and Security Program through Executive Order 9835, which included Loyalty Review Boards to investigate and potentially dismiss federal employees as security risks.
Step-by-step explanation:
President Harry Truman's Initiative to Detect Communists
In the shadow of the Cold War and the rise of anti-Communist sentiment in the United States, President Harry Truman took decisive action to detect and manage potential Soviet sympathizers within the federal government. On March 21, 1947, Truman signed Executive Order 9835, establishing the Federal Employees Loyalty and Security Program.
The program authorized the creation of Loyalty Review Boards with the power to investigate and dismiss federal employees considered to be security risks. The FBI was given extensive authority to conduct these investigations. During the program's operation, over 3 million government employees underwent scrutiny with some dismissed due to the suspect nature of their political affiliations or actions deemed disloyal.
The atmosphere of distrust was intensified by actions of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which investigated Communist influence in various sectors, including Hollywood. Simultaneously, the McCarran Internal Security Act, which President Truman initially vetoed, was passed by Congress, further strengthening the government's legal authority to combat perceived Communist threats. These measures were reflective of the pervasive fear of Communist infiltration during the Second Red Scare.