HUAC stands for the House Un-American Activities Committee. It was a committee of the U.S. House of Representatives established in 1938 to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities by private citizens, public employees, and organizations suspected of having Communist ties
. The committee played a significant role during the Cold War era, particularly in investigating Communist influence and espionage within the United States, including high-profile cases such as that of Alger Hiss
