Mccarthyism: The Spread Of Communism

During the Cold War communist began to emerge. Communist are people who follow or believe in communism. They were such a small group that no one paid much attention to them until after World War 2. When WW II ended communist started causing problems. They already took power in other countries and Americans began to fear they would do the same to the U.S. They wondered if Soviet Spies were in America secretly advertising communism. U.S. citizens even questioned if communist were involved in U.S. government jobs or in schools miseducating students and children. To help calm down these fears Joseph Raymond McCarthy started McCarthyism. (Shmoop.com)

When the Cold War occurred between the Soviet Union and the United States it was intensifying. There was fear that there would be a communist influence toward the United States.This is later to be known as the second Red Scare which occurred in the late 1940s to the mid 1950s. The first Red Scare occurred in the early 20th century, when there was a period of suspicion that the revolution in Russia would overthrow the United States government. Leading to the fear of communist revolution in the United States. During the second Red Scare in the late 1940s, Joseph McCarthy was a senator of Wisconsin ,during that time. In half of his time in office ,he tried to 1 expose communists and other people who were risks to the United States, this

After WWII the democratic U.S. and the soviets became engaged in a series of largely political and economic clashes we called the cold war. The rivalry between the two powers raised concerns in US that communist are inside the U.S. Which poses a U.S. Security threat and gets Americans scared. I believe that the red scare created McCarthyism and not the other way around because the red scare came right after wwII hysteria still left over from Hitler, the red scare is what led to actions that had an enduring effect on the us government and society, and because the us thinks soviet spies could be a threat to the US and cause Americans to start mistrusting and causing McCarthy to rise up with his accusations.

Republican Wisconsin senator, Joseph R. McCarthy, was originally a quiet senator who was fairly unknown and had done nothing extraordinary previous to 1950. The senator changed all that when he delivered a speech in February 1950, in which he leveled allegations that the State Department employed numerous Communists. He claimed to possess a list of these Communist employees, although that list was never produced (Tindall, George Brown, and David Emory Shi). Senator McCarthy’s attempt to gain publicity with his outlandish accusations worked. Since the first Red Scare years before the fifties, many Americans continued to be terrified of Communists and their potential ability to corrupt and overrun America. Senator McCarthy played on these fears, and he continued to claim communism had infiltrated every aspect of America; politics, culture and all of American society. Because of the similarity of events from the first Red Scare, this time period of the early fifties in America is often called the second Red Scare. The second Red Scare in America’s history actually began in the late forties, previous to McCarthy’s emergence in 1950, and it continued on throughout the fifties lasting at least a dozen years (Storrs, Landon R. Y.) McCarthy’s short era during the second Red Scare actually lasted only four years, but because of his outspoken and arrogant persona, as well as his ability to inflict fear and persecution on innocent people, this entire span of time went down in the

McCarthyism is a campaign against those who said they were communist in the US government and other institutions carried out under Senator Joseph McCarthy during the time frame of 1950-1954. The people that were accused were blacklisted and they lost their jobs, some said that they knew they didn't belong in the Communist Party. McCarthyism started because Americans were worried about the spread of Communism and afraid that the Russians were going to use the atomic bomb to bomb the United States. The bomb talk lead to hysteria in America which lead to the cold war.(1945-1960)

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

McCarthy scared Americans into thinking they were next to be convicted of being a communist. Many Americans turned against each other by believing their next door neighbor was a communist. According to the article, “Thousands of alleged Communist in the U.S. were arrested and deported during what became known as the Red Scare. Neighbors did not trust one another after this event, imagine living next to a suspected Communist. The article states, “ McCarthy dropped a bombshell:The State Department is infested with Communist.” McCarthy shocked the media and the American people, McCarthy gained instant fame as this accusation sent shock waves through the nation. The tension that was already between America and the Soviet Union made

“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

The Red Scare was a huge issue that the US citizens faced after learning of Russia’s plans to try and overtake all countries and turn them into Communist powers. People would fear that the men and women currently residing in the US would turn to support Stalin and his ways. During this time, Communism was the most feared thing in the US. People who were sought to belive in Communism would be feared and not be treated as they once were. Politicians would use this strategy to help boost their votes during elections. Senator Joseph R. McCarthy started a mass “Witch Hunt” to search and find the hidden supporters of Communism. McCarthy would frame almost anyone stating that they believed in Communism, which would make people fear and basically

As an individual in the middle of Twentieth century Joseph McCarthy had a rather intense effect on society. He started the movement that bears his name. McCarthyism was the movement that caused many changes in the lives of the people of the 1950's. McCarthy headed the charge against communism in the United States after the second World War. Through his actions many people were accused of being communists and hastilly judged to be so because of the general feeling toward communism. What causes such an incredible uprising. What caused so many people to rally behind, in many cases, unfounded accusations that would ruin other peoples lives unjustly? What caused not just a movement but the movement

The breeding grounds for McCarthyism developed in a time when the world's two friendly alphas found it in their best interests to compete for the love and resolve of mother Earth. Initially, during World War Two the United States and the Soviet Union put their philosophies aside and formed a crucial alliance to asphyxiate Nazi inhumane hostility and expansion (Hewitt & Lawson, 745). In contrast, Post World War Two, September 1945, the United States and the Soviet Union had emerged as the worlds superpowers but the previous alliance hastily deteriorated resulting in a “peace time” war that came to be know as the Cold War; the Cold War predominately didn't take position on the battle field; instead the Cold War was a conflict over philosophies of how society should be conducted and was a war of military buildup, and establishing economic

"Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist party?" During the late 1940's and 1950's the topic of communism had developed into everyday conversation for all Americans considering the end of the World War 11, and the beginning of the cold war. In 1952 a man named Joseph McCarthy was elected into the senate for Wisconsin. He won mostly won because of interest in the issues of communism. Joseph McCarthy began to weed out the communism he thought existed in America. He began to accuse writers and actors and other entertainers, most of whom were labeled communist sympathizers and were no longer able to work. Some of those who were accused had their passports taken away while others were put into

Joseph McCarthy, born on November 14, 1908 was a U.S. senator from Wisconsin and became a national figure in a highly publicized pursuit of a communist "conspiracy." Because of him, the term McCarthyism became a synonym for a public "witch-hunt" intended to destroy the victim's political standing and public character. McCarthy’s first years in the Senate average and at the very least slightly dishonorable. As a number of his past adventures (including some questionable tax returns) began catching up with him, he needed an issue that would distract attention from his dealings. In a speech in Wheeling West Virginia on February 9, 1950, McCarthy claimed to have in hand a list of two hundred and five people in the State Department known to be members

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.

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.