A Decade Of Fear Summary

In the 1950’s, Senator Joseph McCarthy turned Americans against each other by installing fear in the people regarding toward Communism. During this time, in fact, people were getting blacklisted even if they weren't communist. In an incident at the Republican Women’s Club of Wheeling, McCarthy delivered a speech. The situation involving the Senator escalated when he stated that the State Department is infested with Communist. In this point in time, due to the false allegations, people went on a decade long period of witch hunts. Sam Roberts, the author of “A Decade of Fear” stated that in fact, “...thousands of alleged Communists in the U.S. were arrested and deported during what became known as the Red Scare.”

Joseph McCarthy falsely accused many people in our government of being a communist. Document one states, “I have in my hand 57 cases of individuals who would appear to be either card carrying members or certainly loyal to the Communist party, but who nevertheless are still helping to shape our foreign policy.” This text is showing that the government was accused of having members of the communist party. With McCarthy and these accusations, people began to worry about if there were really communists in our government or if there were other communists they didn’t know about. Thus causing, The Red Scare. Document 6 is an image of people in a car and

The Red Scare, also known as McCarthyism, took place during the 1950’s when Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy was elected during a time of fear as the Cold War’s lasting effects wore on the people of America. McCarthy could twist the anger and fear of the American citizens to produce a new social phenomenon, Communism invading our politics. McCarthy was elected as the Senator in 1946 and became a household name four years later in 1950 when he claimed 205 communists infiltrated the State Department. McCarthy’s vigorous investigation for communists in the political society made him an incredibly influential political figure. Two years later in 1952, he obtained the chairmanship for the Government Operations Party while also being reelected. McCarthy began questioning

Beginning in the early 1950s, Senator Joseph McCarthy released a monumental rampage across the United States. For fear of governmental infiltration by Communists, an outbreak of accusations swept the nation as a result of the Wisconsin senator, and helped create what is known as the second Red Scare (“McCarthyism”)

Senator Joseph McCarthy fed the increasing panic, using unfounded rumors and intimidation to gain popularity as a potent government figure. With this newfound fame and influence, McCarthy denounced numerous public figures as being communist supporters. His victims included government officials, celebrities, intellectuals, and anyone else opposed to his view point. Most people accused by McCarthy were innocent, but many lost their reputation, and often their employment. People later came to realize that his accusations were false and McCarthy soon after died. The term “McCarthyism” has an everlasting connection with the Red Scare and persecution of the

Sam Roberts, A Decade of Fear (published March 2010) addresses the topic of the Red Scare and declares that McCarthyism turned Americans against each other after WWII by accusing one another of being a communist. These accusations led to targeting many famous or well-known people in Hollywood or politics. Therefore, Senator Joseph McCarthy had exploited the nation’s fear of communism for what many believed to be for his own gain, also the mass hysteria that came with the Red Scare and McCarthyism had a huge impact in the United States after the end of World War II. The explanation Mass Hysteria occurred was because the majority of people did not want to be accused of being a communist. A lot of innocent people, even children, had been blamed

During the 1950s there was a rise in the fear of communism called “The Red Scare”. Senator Joseph McCarthy was one of the many people who contributed to people’s fear by making a list of people who he said were communists even though there was no proof in most cases. In an article by Alan Brinkley called “The 1950s Part One: McCarthy and The Red Scare”, it informs, “McCarthy was only one of many who helped create the great fear. The Red Scare was visible in almost every area of American life” (Brinkley). This quote tell us that in the 1950s even though Senator Joseph McCarthy was a huge contributor to The Red Scare. His list of suspected communists made rumors spread and the people on the list get questioned and even go to jail when in some cases they were innocent. It also says in the article by USHistory.org called “McCarthyism: Witch Hunting and Blacklisting in America”, that, “In the 1950s anyone who was considered a communist could be questioned and thrown in jail” (USHistory.org). Which means that his allegations could have easily put people in prison.

“Burdened by an uneventful political career and having an eye towards reelection, McCarthy claimed that 205 communists had infiltrated the U.S. State Department and soon after claimed to have the names of 57 State Department communists, despite having little knowledge of international espionage”(“Joseph McCarthy”). This led McCarthy to be chairman of the Senate’s Committee on Government Operations in 1952 and be re elected in the senate. He took over this committee for two years with anti communist investigations and questioned suspected officials. This all began the “Red Scare” which was the fear of communism and it coming into the United States. McCarthy continued to make claims about people, but he was not able to validate any of these claims. Although he could not validate a claim, he was still popular widely throughout America due to concerns of communism in China and Eastern Europe”(“Joseph McCarthy”).

The definition of the Red Scare is ‘The rounding up and deportation of several hundred immigrants of radical political views of the federal government in 1919 and 1920. This “scare” was caused by fears of subversion by communists in the United States after the Russian Revolution (dictionary.com). In other words, this is a big concern over the effect of radical political agitation in the American Society and when communism spread, it established a major concern. Joseph McCarthy, a well liked, but very intimidating man decided that this chase should be put to rest… Joseph stands behind his decision and soon appears with a claim. “At a speech in West Virginia in 1950, he waved a piece of paper and claimed to “hold in my hand” a list of

The “Red Scare”, the fear of communism rising and becoming widespread. This further propelled the McCarthy’s agenda and caused him to become more widely accepted and believed. The House Un-American Activities Committee, which investigated the “disloyalty” of people and organizations. This committee stepped all over Americans rights, as shown in a political cartoon drawn by Herb Block. They were able to do this as the majority of Americans supported it, because of the fear of at-communism taking over.

McCarthy turned Americans against each other by developing the fear of communism. During the time in America, the Cold war was rampant so the idea of communism was present around the war against Russia.The idea of indicting fellow Americans as communist during the Red Scare was very common due to McCarthy’s allegations. According to the article, McCarthy announced “I have here in hand a list of 205- a list of names” this shows that he was willing to announce names of people that were alleged communists. McCarthy also accused members of power for example, the article claims “he has alleged 57 communist worked in the state department” this shows he was willing to create chaos among those that were suppose to be trusted by civilians. McCarthyism

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, the idea of communist subversion was becoming frighteningly real. These fears came to define–and, in some cases, corrode–the era’s political culture. For many Americans, the most enduring symbol of this “Red Scare” was Republican Senator Joseph P. McCarthy of Wisconsin. McCarthy spent almost five years trying in vain to expose communists and other left-wing “loyalty risks” in the U.S. government.In February 1950, appearing at the Ohio County Women’s Republican Club in Wheeling, West Virginia, McCarthy gave a speech that boosted him into the national spotlight. Waving a piece of paper in the air, he declared that he had a list of 205 known members of the Communist Party who were “working

“In 1917 an anti-communist Red Scare gripped the United States (“Communist”).” Without a doubt the most important event in the U.S. battle against Communism was when America’s worst nightmare came true and Communism was invading the U.S. This event is known as the Red Scare. The Red Scare was a result of a popularity grab from U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy. He was trying to gain attention from the U.S. during his campaign. “On February 9, 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy made an announcement that he had a list of the members of the communist party” (“Communism”). This definitely got him the attention he desired as well as put the spotlight on him to share the list with America and end the terror. He proceeded to name names of people he was running against in election. He was very manipulative at removing the other candidates in election, but sadly he was not telling the truth. “By the end of the 1950s, the American public doubted McCarthy’s reliability and with a few court decisions these witch hunts came to an end” (“Communism”). This event took the U.S. by surprise. It showed them a glimpse of what it would look like if it were invaded by

McCarthy’s rule over America’s conscious was carried out with an iron fist while he served as a Republican U.S. Senator of Wisconsin from 1947-1957. He spent five years trying to single out accused communists and other left-wing loyalty risks in the United States government, thus exposing what he thought were traitors and spies that were lurking on our homeland after the post-World War II era. McCarthy’s main tactic of control during this time was fear. Suspicions and hyper attacks were common, and the fear that was instilled bordered on baseless accusations, testimony with the support of secret evidence, and partial trial

The world that we live in is a constantly changing one; societies rise and fall, ideas flash bright, then simmer away. This change is generally welcomed by many, as it’s usually brings more prosperity and well-being, yet there has always been this fear of what the future holds for us; the fear of the unknown. As H.P. Lovecraft said in his work Supernatural Horror in Literature, “[t]he oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” (Oates 177) This force can guide many people’s actions, paralyzing them from continuing to change with time and stagnating themselves for fear of what welcomes them down the road.