The Senator defined the communist nations as follows in his famous speech. According to McCarthy, by its essence and nature, communism was a “red threat,” and the followers of the ideology were “traitors,” “criminals,” and “enemies from within” (Tye, 2020). At least Joseph imagined that supporters of the Soviet Union could undermine traditional ideas about American society (Markwell, 2018). Furthermore, based on his knowledge and assumptions, communism was a danger even to the existence of the United States. Thus, the “red half” victory meant “harm to humanity” compared to any possible economic or political system. Consequently, there was a period of “McCarthyism,” and its apogee was the act “On Control of Communists,” adopted in 1954. It declared the Communist Party illegal and prohibited its members from leaving the United States.
Senator Joseph McCarthy Charges
It should be noted that the Senator’s accusations were unjustified and subjective, as well as any personal beliefs. It is no secret that Joseph’s speech caused nationwide hysteria and apprehension to some extent. However, despite the inability to present adequate and intelligible evidence, McCarthy’s accusations have found a broad response among American citizens (History.com Editors, 2021). It is known for sure that the Senator will become one of the most influential figures in the next few years, and about three thousand people will somehow suffer from McCarthyism. Nevertheless, the Senator’s weapon was going to work against him one day. McCarthy’s opponents noted that his course brought confusion to the country’s political life.
Anti-Communist Sentiments
The Cold War era would be correct to characterize from the point of view of the evolution of the anti-communist sentiments. Hence, 1917 was the starting point and impetus for the development of communism and movements against the “Reds,” when the number of strikes in the United States increased against the background of the Russian Revolution (History.com Editors, 2022). However, by the end of the 1950s, the atmosphere of fear and repression began to fade.
Moreover, it was reasonable to assume that these views were justified, correct, and legitimate. Therefore, the people’s fears turned into active aggression and violent measures directed against the government and law enforcement agencies (History.com Editors, 2022). The situation in the country began to get out of control, and America turned into a place where chaos and anarchy reigned. Indeed, the US government had quite strong reasons not to trust radicals and trade union leaders. The desire of the ruling elite to tighten the screws in the state was most often associated with overdue changes, whether it concerned painful internal reforms or such expensive and dangerous external enterprises as the Cold War. In addition, the government of the USSR, for a long time, conducted espionage inside America through ordinary citizens, as well as collected data, analyzed, and made specific actions and decisions. If one follows McCarthy’s logic, then America of the 50s, in fact, was besieged by the Communists and their henchmen. They waged an underground war against the United States in the interests of the Soviet Union.
Examples of Events Similar to the Red Scare
Undoubtedly, there are many historical examples when events resembling the Red Scare took place. For instance, one of the most famous is the Salem Witch Trials in the 17th century. The Holocaust in Germany, when the extermination of Jews took place, also suitable perfectly into this category. One should also recall the Cultural Revolution in China, which traumatized and embittered all nations against a particular category of people. Therefore, the phenomena from the point of view of these moments have instilled fear, confusion, anxiety, and hatred in the minds and hearts of people. A common, “secret” enemy stood out to a brighter and clearer degree, with which it was necessary to fight together. Additionally, both these events entailed only suffering and human losses. There was a complex of measures aimed at restructuring society, the state, and the eradication of existing “social and public imperfections.”
Elements of the revolution are also reflected in modern society. For example, China poses an existential threat to America; skepticism and distrust of the East are actively developing (Swanson, 2019). In particular, the negative attitude was due to the policy of Donald Trump. Thus, the “Red Threat” has not gone away; its aspects are also revealed against the background of current events related to the war between Russia and Ukraine when each country seeks to find a culprit in what happened. In brief, there are almost no Communists left overseas, but in the fight against the “objectionable,” the United States still uses sanctions. However, not only against individuals but also against entire countries.
Adverse Events During the Cold War
According to historical facts, people were waiting for an unfavorable outcome in the case of an appeal to the 5th Amendment or, for example, a likely violation of laws. If individuals referred to their rights and opportunities, this did not give them a guarantee in terms of honest, fair treatment, equality, and freedom. On the contrary, there were suspicions and doubts about innocence in some circumstances. As a rule, these citizens were accused of disrespect for the country and Congress and subsequently arrested. According to experts, such tactics are equivalent to what happened during the witch hunt (History.com Editors, 2019). Thus, people lost their jobs and even the possibility of any earnings.
References
History.com Editors. (2019). HUAC. HISTORY. Web.
History.com Editors. (2021). Senator McCarthy says communists are in State Department. HISTORY. Web.
History.com Editors. (2022). Red scare. HISTORY. Web.
Markwell, A. (2018). Not fake news: The New York Times and Senator Joseph McCarthy. The Alexandrian, 7(1), pp. 1-9. Web.
Swanson, A. (2019). A new red scare is reshaping Washington.The New York Times. Web.
Tye, L. (2020). Demagogue: The life and long shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy. Houghton Mifflin.