<u><em>After World War II</em></u>, the United States and the Soviet Union found themselves on opposite sides of a "<u>Cold War</u>," <em><u>and the threat posed by communists in the United States became known as the Red Fear</u></em>.
<u><em>For this reason, the government of the United States responded by creating the Committee of Un-American Activities of the House of Representatives,</em></u> (HUAC).
<u><em>The HUAC often pressured witnesses</em></u> to give names and other information that could lead to the arrest of communists and supporters of communists.
<u>The committee members rated the witnesses as</u> "<u>red</u>" <u>if they refused to comply or hesitated to answer the committee's questions</u>.