AstheColdWarbetweentheSovietUnionandtheUnitedStatesgrewinthelate1940sandearly 1950s,overtheperceivedthreatposedbyCommunistsintheU.S.becameknownastheRedScare. TheRedScareledtoarangeofactionsthathadaprofoundandenduringeffectonUSgovernment andsociety.TheclimateoffearandrepressionlinkedtotheRedScarefinallybegantoeasebythe late1950s.
CivilLibertiesareindividualrightsprotectedbylawfromunjustGovernmentandother interference.SomepeoplebeganthinkingthatcommunistswereintheUSundercover.Loyalty oathswerestartedforemployeesTherewereSpyTrialsMcCarthythoughttherewereabunchof communistsintheUSandeventhoughhewaswrongandlied,therewasstillthebeliefthat communistswereoutthere.Peoplewenttojailforrefusingtotalkabouttheirpoliticalbeliefs.Yes, civilshowmorecontent
A"RedScare"isthepromotionoffearofapotentialriseofcommunismorradicalleftism.Inthe UnitedStates,theFirstRedScarewasaboutworkerrevolutionandpoliticalradicalism.TheSecond RedScarewasfocusedonnationalandforeigncommunistsinfluencingsociety,infiltratingthe federalgovernment,orboth.AsWorldWarIIwasending,afear–drivenmovementknownasthe "SecondRedScare"begantospreadacrosstheUnitedStatesAmericansfearedthattheSoviet Unionhopedtospreadcommunismallovertheworld,overthrowingbothdemocraticandcapitalist institutionsasitwent.This"Scare"ascausedbyfearsofsubversionbycommunistsintheUnited StatesaftertheRussianRevolution.(TheRedScarewasAnti–Communist.)ThepostwarRedScare isoftencalled"McCarthyism,"anamederivedfromoneoftheera'smostnotoriousanti–Communists,SenatorJosephMcCarthyYettheanti–Communistcrusadeofthelate1940sand 1950sbothin ...Getmorecontent...
ThefightinEuropewasbroughttoanend,butitdidnotmeanthattheUnitedStateswasatpeace andprotected."TheentireprospectofgrowingCommunistinfluencebecameknownasthe"Red Scare,"accordingtou–shistory.com.Eventhough,PresidentWilson,feltthattheworldshouldbeat peacethiswasnotthecase.ManyAmericansbegantofearthatCommunistwouldbegintakeover theUnitedStatesThecommunisthadconsideredthemselvesaschampionsoftheworkersThe AmericansfearedthatCommunistweretryingtotakeover,butitespeciallyalarmedthemthatmost oftheradicalswerenotAmericanCitizens.
SometimesthelaboractivistdidnotalwaysprotestinpeaceThelaboractivistsweresometimes violent.TheIndustrialWorkers...showmorecontent...
Hundredsofthousandsofworkersfrommanydifferentunionswerenothappywiththepayand workingconditions.Themembersoftheunionswentonafivedaystrikewantinghigherpayafterit hadbeenloweredfortwoyearsbecauseofWorldWarI.Inthesameyear,inSeptember1919 RadicalWilliamZFoster,whoservedastheGeneralSecretaryoftheCommunistParty,madean efforttoorganizethesteelindustry.Thisresultedinoverthreehundredthousandsteelworkers walkingoffthejob.ThepoliceofBostonalsowentonstrikeintheSeptemberaswell.Justasthe unionworkerstheBostonPolicealsowantedhigherwagesandshorterworkinghours.However,the policecommissionerdidnotwanttoorganizeapoliceunionandsuspendedtheleadersfromthe forceTheresultofthecommissionernotgivingtheofficerswhattheyhadaskedforfrustrated manyofficersandthousandsofpoliceofficerswentonstrike.Oncethecitygotwindofwhat happened."WhentheBostonPolicewentonstrikeonSeptember9,thecountry'sleading newspaperssoundedthealarmbells"ThisforcedGovernorCalvinCoolidgetocallouttheNational Guardtorestoreorderinthe
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AfterWorldWarI,anewthreatfloodedintothemindsoftheAmericanpopulation.Communism wasontheriseanditwascausingalotofconcernwithintheAmericanpopulace.TheRedScare wasthenationwidehysteriainAmerica,causedbythespreadofcommunisminthe1920's.Thisfear ofcommunismbledintomanyaspectsofAmericanlife.ItcausedtheU.S.governmenttotargetany Americanwho'spatriotismwasinquestion,anditcontributedtoAmericans'negativeattitudes towardsforeignersinthe1920's.Inadditionto"suspiciousindividuals",theU.S.governmentalso challengedlaborunionsandintimidatedliberalconstituencies.TheRedScareledtoarangeof actionsthathadafar–reachingandenduringeffectonUSgovernmentandshowmorecontent PresidentWoodrowWilsonappointedA.MitchellPalmertothepostofattorneygeneralin1919, anditwashewholaterestablishedtheFederalBureauofInvestigation(FBI).PalmerappointedJ. EdgarHooverasFBIdirector.HooverusedtheorganizationtogatherinformationaboutAmericans whoseactionsandpoliticsweredeemedtoberadical.ThePalmerRaids,alsocalledPalmerRed Raids,wereraidsconductedbytheUSDepartmentofJusticeduringtheclimaxoftheRedScarein anattempttoarrestradicalleftists,foreignanarchists,andcommunists,manyofwhomwere subsequentlydeported.InallthePalmerRaids,thearrestsconsiderablyexceededthenumberof warrantsthathadbeenreceivedfromthecourts,andmanyofthosearrestedwereguiltyofnothing morethanhavingaforeignaccent.Despitemostofthearrestbeingunjust,Palmerdeclaredtheraids asuccessThiswasstillnotenough,however,andPlessyannouncedthattheworkwasfarfrom done.Heclaimedthattherewerestillmorethan300,000dangerouscommunistsresidingwithinthe UnitedStates(GaleU.SHistory).However,thePalmerRaidswerenottheonlyeventthat discriminatedagainst
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AsWorldWarIwasheadingtowardsitsendRussiawasfocusingoninternalissues.Ledby VladimirLenintheBolsheviksembarkedonacampaignagainstthewar.Usingpropagandawhich focusedontryingtoturnthealliedtroopsagainsttheirofficersLeninlookedtoinspireasocialist revolution.TheBolshevikswerealsofueledbythepoorconditionsoftheRussianArmy.Nicholas II,inalettertohiswifeAlexandra,admittedtheobstaclesthattheRussianArmyfaced,"Againthat cursedquestionofshortageofartilleryandrifleammunition–itstandsinthewayofanenergetic advance."CzarNicholastriedtodenythefactthathisArmywasinnoconditiontocontinuethe fightLeninandtheBolsheviksusedthisinformationtogainshowmorecontent "Fully90percentoftheCommunistandAnarchistagitationistraceabletoaliens."Throughtheuse oftheEspionageActof1917andtheSeditionActof1918Palmerbeganhiscampaignagainstthis threatagainstourgovernment.Palmerusedthislegislationasjustificationofhisactions.Thebest exampleofPalmersmanipulationofthelawtotakenormallyillegalactionagainstsuspectswason January2nd1920Palmerhadfederalagentsroundupthousandsofsuspectedsubversiveswithout respectingthoseindividuals'constitutionalrightsasAmericancitizens.Thiswasnotthefirsttimein ourhistorythatthegovernmenthasbackedtheunnecessarypersecutionofagroupofpeoplebased onfearthattheywouldeventuallytakeovertheUnitedStatesandchangetheAmericanwayoflife. OneeventinhistorythathassimilarattributestothisperiodisthepassingoftheChineseexclusion actThesetwooccurrences,althoughfordifferentreasons,wereverysimilarinthetacticsthatwere employedtoenforceandjustifysuperfluouspanic.Aroundthelate1870'sthecountrywas beginningtoworryabouttheconstantimmigrationofaliensintotheUntiedStates.Thisfrightened AmericansWidespreadworryinfectedthecountryThebiggestfearwasthatAmericawouldlose itsidentityandberunoverbytheideasoftheseimmigrantsandthenationstheycamefrom.Oneof thelargestgroupsofimmigrantsintotheUnitedStateswastheChinese,California
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Inthelongyearsbetween1947andaround1957,fearofcommunismfrozetheveryvoicesof Americaintounison.Asupposedlyenlightenedcountry,theUnitedStatesofAmericasuccumbedto themasshysteriaoftheRedScarewithshockinglylittleresistance.Communist"Reds"and Communistsympathizing"Pinks"wereseeneverywhereandwereoftenpersecutedbytheHouse CommitteeonUn–AmericanActivities(alsoknownbytheinaccurateacronymHUAC)Manyof theseindividuals'onlycrimewasthatofsensibility;theysawthetruthbehindtheterrifyingchaos. OneofthebestrecordsofthisdarkchapterinAmerica'shistoryisitsliterature,whichexpressed opinionwhenitcouldbedangeroustodosoTheAmericanpublic'sparanoidfearofshowmore content...
SostatesPrometheusafterhisdiscoveryofsingularpronounsinaworldwhereonlythepluralforms arepermitted,underthethreatofexecution.
TheparallelbetweenRand'shive–mindedsocietyandthefearofcommunisminAmericais abundantlyclearMostAmerican'ssawcommunismasanall–consumingforce,slowlybutsurely windingitswayintotheirpoliticsandultimately,theirhomes(Zeinert67).Therewasafearthat AmericawouldbecomeaCommunistsocietyliketheoneinAnthem,anunhappy,oppressedpeople deludedintopreservingtheirwayoflifeforfearofchangeandtheresponsibilityoffreedom.The ideathatCommunist'sareeverywhereisapervadingthemethroughoutthecoldwarandredscare andacontinuingtrendintheliteratureofthetimeNotallworksweresoopenlyanti–communist however,justasnotallindividualsbelievedthatcommunismwasthethreatitwasmadeouttobe.
WhenSenatorJoeMcCarthycameintopowerinthe1950'shebroughtfearintotheheartsof Americancitizens,fearofCommunists,andfearthattheywouldbeaccusedofassociatingwith Communists."McCarthyattackedindividualsandorganizationswithoutproof.Ifsomeoneroseto defendthesevictims,helashedoutatthedefenders,accusingthemofbeingCommunists,pinks,or punks...Hismethodsweregivenaname:McCarthyism"(Zeinert69).
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Theredscareleftanuglylegacy.Wholesaleviolationsofconstitutionalrights,deportationsof hundredsofinnocentpeople,fuelforthefiresofnativismandintolerance.battlingideologies providedthesurfaceforpoliticalentitiestobattleforpersonalgainswhileindividualhumanrights wouldbecaughtinthecrossfire.AnotoriousexampleofthishappeningwouldbethePalmerraids, whereanypersonsuspectedofcommunismisdetainedindefinitelysolongastheyarenotacitizen oftheUnitedStates.
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TheRedScarerepresentedthewidespreadconcernthatAmericanshaddevelopedoverthefearof communistsubversionwithinsociety.Americansbelieved,especiallyduringtheColdWar,which wasaperiodoftensionbetweentheUnitedStatesandSovietUnion,thatcommunismwas attemptingtoinfiltrateeveryaspectoftheirlives.Whilethisisnotnecessarilythebestanalogy,you canrelatethewidespreadfearofcommunismduringtheColdWarasbeingsimilartothe heightenedalertAmericanshadtowardterrorismandsuspectedterroristsduringthebeginningof themoderncentury.InstigatingthisfearwasJosephMcCarthy.McCarthywasaRepublicansenator fromWisconsinandwastheleaderbehindtheethosofMcCarthyismThetermwascreatedshow morecontent...
Itpromotesposturing;encouragesspeculation;andcreateshysteria.Thisthemepermeated AmericanpoliticsandpopularcultureduringtheMcCarthyeraofthe1950s.AsWWIIended, nationsbegantopolarize.TheUnitedStatesandtheSovietUnionemergedastheleadingeconomic andmilitarystates,andbegancompetingforinfluencethroughoutthecountriestheynowoccupied uponliberationfromGermanyandJapan.Underthebanneroftheirownbrandofidealism,they individuallysoughtgeopoliticalcontrolandeconomicbenefit.Asthestakesincreased,competition betweenthetwopowersspreadtotheatomicarenaandtheexplorationofspace.Theresultforthe next45yearsisasagaoffearnotonlyoftheotherside,butalsofearofcontaminationofidealsand subterfugeofpowerfromwithin
However,tocondemnthoseinpositionsofpowerfortheiractionsistomisinterpretthevolatile climateoftheColdWarErainwhichtheyoperated.Thepolarizedpoliticalthoughtandthe turbulentdomesticeventsthatshadowedeverydaylifehadaprofoundimpactonAmericanthought andcultureandthelivesofpublicfigureswhodominatethestory.Totrulyunderstandtheimpactof thesecharactersandtheclimateoftheAmericanColdWartheatre,thecomplexityofthedynamics withinsocietymustbeunderstoodfromthepointofviewandtheideologyoftheprimarycharacters thatoccupiedthestageandtheprevailingfearsdominatedAmericanthoughtand
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TheFirstandSecondRedScareoftheUnitedStatespavedthewayforalongstandingfearof communismandprovedtobeoneofAmerica'slargestperiodsofmasshysteria.Throughoutthe yearsauthorsandanalystshavestudiedandformedexpositoryalbeitargumentativebooksand articlesinanattempttofurtherunderstandthisperiodoftime;themindsetheldduringthisperiod howeverisshowntobecompletelydifferentcomparedtonowMajorandstillimportantwasthe FirstRedScarestemmingfromtheFirstWorldWar'sendandAmerica'sGreatDepression beginningtokickoff.Withfoodandlivingexpensesdrasticallyincreasingcertainpropaganda begantoappearPerhapsoneofthemostnotableofthesewasLenin's"Lettertotheshowmore content...
Afterthewarhoweverakindoftwo–facedattitudeisquicklyadoptedbytheUnitedStatesasthe BerlinCrisisoccurredandfearofespionagewassuspectedtobeontherise.(Fitzgerald,p.32–33) ThismarkedthebeginningoftheSecondRedScare,aperiodoftimeheldwithintheColdWaritself andseenasamaincauseforaverydeep–rootedhatetowardscommunismthatformedabittertaste inthemouthsoftheAmericanpeople.
In1950theemergenceoftheSecondRedScare'sdrivingforce,SenatorJosephMcCarthy,appeared andgaveaspeechproclaimingthatAmericawillsoonbelosttocommunismifthepeopledonot standuptocombatit.Herevealedthatnightalistof205peopleworkingforSovietRussiainthe UnitedStates'StateDepartmentwhoseintentionsweretomoldAmericafromtheinsidetobecomea socialistnation.(Fitzgerald,p.14)Itwasthankstothisnewfoundhysteriathatbegantobreakout thankstoMcCarthy'sclaimsthattheHUACandotherlike–mindedorganizationsbegantogain momentumduringthistimeperiod
TheHUAC(HouseUn–AmericanActivitiesCommittee)startedsmallinthe30'sandbecamea muchmorepermanentaswellasprominentafterthewar.ThankstoMcCarthyagaintheygained reasontoinvestigatemany,asthenamesuggests,un–Americanactivitiesinordertorootoutthe Sovietcollaborators.Theyalso
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McCarthyismbasicallyisthepracticeunfairaccusationsthataremadeagainstapersonorgroupof people.DuringthecoldInthetimeoftheColdWarAmericanswereparanoidandvulnerable,as theyneverknewwhentheSovietUnion,oranyothercommunist–totalitarianstatewouldattack. "McCarthyism"gaveAmericansasortof"hope"togetfightagainstcommunismintheirown countryJosephMcCarthy,aUSSenator,becamethefaceofthenationalfearofcommunist infiltration.OfficialscouldnotstopMcCarthyfromdestroyingpeople'sbyaccusingthemofbeinga communistasthentheythemselveswouldbeaccused.
The"RedScare",thefearofcommunismrisingandbecomingwidespread.Thisfurtherpropelled theMcCarthy'sagendaandcausedhimtobecomemorewidelyacceptedandbelieved.TheHouse Un–AmericanActivitiesCommittee,whichinvestigatedthe"disloyalty"ofpeopleand organizations.ThiscommitteesteppedalloverAmericansrights,asshowninapoliticalcartoon drawnbyHerbBlockTheywereabletodothisasthemajorityofAmericanssupportedit,because ofthefearofat–communismtakingover.TheRosenbergcaserevealedhowbiasedandfearfulthe Americanjudicialsystemandpublicwere.JuliusandEthelRosenbergwere...showmorecontent... EdwardMurrowstated,"wemustnotconfusedissentwithdisloyalty",asstatedintheTopicInquiry DBQ.Inotherwords,itiswrongtobelievethedisapprovalofthestates'actionsandperceptions meantthatpersonorgroupofpeopleweredisloyaltotheircountryThisisneverthecaseas someonecanbelieveinacauseorgoal,butnotsupporttheactionsbeingtakentohelpthatcauseor goal.ThesedismissiveandbiasedviewsmademanyAmericanwhoopposedtheactionof McCarthy'sfollowerskeeptheirmouthshut,astheydidnotwanttobetargets
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TheSecondRedScare
TheMcCarthyera,whichgenerallyspannedfrom1947to1957,broughttotheforefrontof Americanpoliticsthequestionofcivilrights.AtissuewerecontroversiesaboutbothFirst AmendmentrightstoassemblyandfreespeechandFifthAmendmentrightstodueprocessand freedomfromself–incrimination.Anti–Communistactionsofteninvolvedrestrictionsonthese rights,andheadingtheanti–CommunistmovementwastheHouseCommitteeonUn–American Activities(HUAC)Thiscommittee,whichconsistedofgovernmentofficialsfromCongress,was formedtoinvestigatethethreatofCommunisminAmerica.Indoingso,thecommitteebroughtin witnesses,usuallyindividualsthoughttohave,ortohavehad,Communistshowmorecontent Itviolated,however,thecivilrightsnecessaryfordemocracy.WhiletheACLUproposedtoprotect civilrightsnomatterthecause,itrefusedattimestoextendthosecivilrightstoCommunistsor CommunistsympathizersonthegroundsthatCommunistssoughttosuppresscivilrightsThus, althoughtheACLUandHUACaregenerallyperceivedasdiametricallyopposedgroups,the ambivalenceofbothgroupsmakesitdifficulttopainttheformerasthearchetypalprotectorofcivil rightsandthelatterasthearchetypalsuppressorofcivilrights.
WhileHUAC'sactionswerenotlaudable,itparadoxicallyhadthebestinterestsoftheAmerican publicinmind,includingprotectingAmericancivilrights.InsofarasCommunismseemedto threatentheAmericanwayoflife,HUAC'sattemptstorootoutCommunistsreflectedaconcernfor AmericancivilrightsTheauthoritariannatureoftheCommunistParty,asdescribedbysome, seemstosupporttheideaofaCommunistthreattoAmericanideals.Asafriendlywitnessbefore HUAC,forexample,formerCommunistPartymemberEliaKazanconfessedthathelefttheparty because"Ihadenoughregimentation,enoughofbeingtoldwhattothinkandsayanddo,enoughof theirhabitualviolationofthedailypracticesofdemocracytowhichIwasaccustomed"(406).Inhis testimony,KazanportraystheCommunistpartyasasuppressorofcivilrights("dailypractices," suchastherightto"think"
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