Joe Mccarthy And Communism

During the late 1940s and the early 1950s, the thought of communism instilled fear within many Americans because it was portrayed in such a way that confined diversity and corroded political culture. This fear of communism was nicknamed the “Red Scare” and was fed by Joseph McCarthy’s accusations of hidden communist in the country. The Manchurian Candidate was a black-and-white American film released in 1962 that depicted the Cold War and the effects that paranoia had on the nation. It was released at the peak of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the spread of communism. This film was about Raymond Shaw, the son of a right-wing political family, who was brainwashed to act as an assassin for his mother in a communist conspiracy theory. Major Bennet (Ben) Marco was another main character that played an important role in discovering the truth of Shaw’s brainwashing. Raymond Shaw faced the conflict of acting upon his free will while still being subconsciously manipulated by someone else. Throughout the film, Shaw was shown committing actions that he does not recall whatsoever later due to his programming which was triggered by the Queen of Diamonds playing card. Through the use of film techniques, The Manchurian Candidate creates a scenario which resembles the manifestation of America’s “Red Scare” paranoia in that the film portrays Raymond Shaw as an individual who lacks human agency due to his brainwashing because of a communist conspiracy.

Just as McCarthy tried to develop fear in fellow senators and the public, he needed to justify his claims. Taking a conservative, Christian approach to the ordeal, Joseph McCarthy explained how the principles of Communism stated that the human life is “valueless” (Oshinsky 82). It was Communist philosophies such as this that solidified the mentality that Communist ideals were a threat to life as we know it. In the words of McCarthy himself, the infiltration of Communists in the State Department meant “world demise” for America (Oshinsky

On February 9, 1950 Senator Joseph McCarthy said he had a list of 205 communists who work for the United States government. During that time era two spies name Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were arrested for secretly supplying atomic bombs to the Soviet Union. Since than McCarthy generate mass hysteria, by stating that “The state Department is infested with Communists ( pg.1).” After hearing that, people started questioning their neighbors if they were communist, as it was called a time period full of fear. McCarthy who lead the HUAC (House Committee on Un-American Activities) was witch hunting to found as much communist as he can in a America. In Sam Roberts article “A Decade of Fear,” he states “with a decade-long period of investigations-labeled

McCarthyism during the 1940-50’s played on the fears and distrust of the American public toward communism and other concerns about issues involving social, educational, and political changes in nation. Joseph McCarthy attempted to identify communist sympathizers and traitors in the government and other arenas. This movement harassed, intimidated, and devastated the lives of citizens across the country. As with other regions of the country, McCarthyism found a promising milieu in postwar Houston, Texas.

The Communist regime in China and the Korean war had such an impact on the Red Scare and the rise of McCarthyism. Many Americans were unjustly persecuted as being communists with no evidence. At the height of Joseph McCarthy’s political power a constitutional right was taken from everyday citizens. Senator Joseph McCarthy was a main politician who played on many persons fear of communism for political gain. According to Encyclopedia of World Biography (2016) He was born on November 14, 1908 in Grand Chute, Wisconsin. Joseph was one of nine children who was of Irish descent. His family was Catholic, literate but uneducated. It wasn't until 1935 Joseph graduated from Marquette University practicing law. According to American Political Leaders(2001),

“I have here in my hand a list of 205 people that were known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping the policy of the State Department” (Joseph McCarthy). Joseph R. Mccarthy was junior senator of Wisconsin from 1947-1957. He quickly took it upon himself to “rid” the United States of all communists that had any association with the Soviet Union in the midst of the Cold War. McCarthy accused thousands of people as being “communists”. Once accused, these people lost their jobs, their homes, their friends and, in extreme cases, their lives. The country turned itself inside out with fear. But how did McCarthy gain so much power? McCarthy ruled through tactics of fear, manipulation and punishment.

In the United States, the 1950s was a time riddled with heightened political repression due to the fear of communism. This fear was instilled in the people by the American government, who saw the growing fondness of communism around the world as a threat to the American way of life. With Senator Joseph McCarthy as the head of the communist witch hunt, this period in time is often referred to as the McCarthy Era. The McCarthy Era is marked by unjust accusations of disloyalty to the United States without consideration for appropriate evidence. During this time, thousands of American citizens were accused of communism and communist sympathy. Of these thousands, a particular case stands out amongst the others. This was the case of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, the first Americans ever executed for espionage against the United States. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were a married couple who were accused by the United States government of conspiracy against America by running the operation of a Soviet spy ring that was leaking information about the atomic bomb back to the Soviet Union. Although Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were both eventually convicted as spies, there was little hard evidence ever presented at their trial. However, many co-conspirators testified for the trials, which would eventually lead to their conviction. The Rosenberg’s may have been spies for Soviet Russia, but they were American citizens nonetheless who deserved a just trial. The Rosenberg’s did not have any

If there was a crisis at hand, the elections were the perfect time to sway anyone’s minds. Since the United States could only talk about communism, Joseph McCarthy knew it was the right time to persuade fellow voters to vote for him. According to an article, “McCarthy enthusiastically agreed and took advantage of the nation’s wave of fanatic terror against communism, and emerged on February 9, 1950, claiming he had a list of 205 people in the State Department who were known members of the American Communist Party.” (Oh & Latham, n.d.)

There was an uprise in the political world during the 1950’s that most blamed Senator Joseph McCarthy for. The fear of communism had many American’s distraught. Anti-communism was on the rise, which caused hysteria within the U.S citizens and their leaders. Senator Joseph McCarthy started most of the uproar and took charge exposing communist and those thought to be flight-risks; this time was known as the McCarthy era or The Red Scare. It was called the red scare because communists were often referred to as “Reds” for their allegiance to the red Soviet flag.

How would you like if somebody came into you’re house and changed all the rules? During the McCarthy era (1940-1950), tens of thousands of Americans were accused of being communists and became the subject of long investigation. Most targets of the accusations were government employees, people working in the entertainment industry, educators, and union supporters (53a. McCarthyism). Many people lost employment of their job and destruction of their careers; some even were held in prison for years. According to many Americans the McCarthy era was one of the most depressing eras because of false accusations.

There is cold air during the time of the Cold War where superior countries were hostile to those behind the Iron Curtain. There were constant threats from opposing adversaries but the biggest concern was from within. Senator Joseph McCarthy gave a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia in early 1950 stating that the atheistic communist countries were going to immortalize the rest of the world. McCarthy goes on to say that Karl Marx, a communist philosopher, influenced Lenin and Stalin, Soviet Union leaders, to make a communist country and to hinder citizens from talking freely about love, justice, humanity or morality. According to McCarthy communism is taking of the world eight to five against Democracy. Democracies

McCarthyism had a major impact on the lives of many. Joseph McCarthy was the cause for an outbreak of communism spreading to the government of the United States. Arthur Miller wrote a play as an allegory to McCarthyism with entertainment. Edward R. Murrow spoke on a radio broadcast telling the public what they needed to speak up about. Murrow’s case was better because the audience is less distracted and had call to action whereas Miller wanted the audience to have a more emotional connection. McCarthyism ruined the reputations of many Americans and his actions were fraudulent.

One main contributor of the paranoia regarding communism would have to be Senator Joseph McCarthy. Being a senator of a state obtains a position of power and having power also means influencing others especially with what you say and do. In his speech, delivered on February 9, 1950, McCarthy states, “I have in my hand 205 cases of individuals who would appear to be either card carrying members or certainly loyal to the Communist Party” (Joseph). He establishes credibility because he is a senator, but his accusations towards others of any association/affiliation to communism with no solid evidence to support his claim led to people questioning who could be trusted and who could not. In addition, McCarthy was known to have to no proof and exaggerates his points especially targeting those who worked for the government of exposing confidential information, those he called a “communist sympathizer.”

In 1950, fewer than fifty thousand Americans out of a total one hundred fifty million were members of the communist party. This was the information Senator Joseph McCarthy used to receive permission to proceed in exploitive communist hunts. McCarthy was dishonest in these hunts, leading to damage far beyond repair to the United States and its citizens. Joseph McCarthy mislead the United States by instilling unnecessary fear in the United States citizens, creating unnecessary tension between the United States and Soviet Union, and compromised the safety of Americans.

What started with great potential as a revisionist look at the impacts of McCarthy’s red scare on the politics in the United States ended with a rudimentary analysis of the repercussions of a fabricated fear of communism. The article “McCarthyism: Political Repression and the Fear of Communism” denied overarching themes of the time period and focused on narrow attempts to place economic sanctions, infractions of civil rights, and national security as the reasons and outcomes of the fear of communism. While these themes are all supported with evidence, a neglect of analysis on the bigger picture leave the reader wondering if Ellen Schrecker, author of the article, is still living with the belief that over-critiquing US politics can land you in jail, tainted for life like a bruised apple. Preoccupied with the how’s of cold war repression the overarching why’s are barely brushed over let alone thoroughly discussed. Schrecker's use of novice arguments as well as a lack of thorough analysis on points made proves a weak attempt to situate the impacts of political repression and communism in the United States and its actions abroad.