Introduction
Fear has always been a potent motivation that has impacted political choices, elections, and domestic and international policies. The post-World War I Red Scare, the post-World War II anti-communism campaign, and the war on terrorism following the Iraq War and September 11 are three significant examples of this in contemporary American history. Therefore, this essay compares and contrasts these three occurrences and examines how fear impacted elections, political decisions, and domestic and international policy.
The Post-War I Red Scare
The Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917 served as fuel for the Red Scare, a period of great concern about communist infiltration in the United States. Regarding purported communists and anarchists, the government initiated a campaign of arrests and prosecutions under Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer (Mintz, 2022). The Immigration Act of 1924 limited immigration from some nations, particularly those in Eastern and Southern Europe, and the Palmer Raids (Mintz, 2022). This resulted in the arrest and deportation of thousands of people without a trial, which was a result of this anxiety. Additionally, the fear of communism influenced voters to choose conservative candidates who favored stifling opinions and restricting civil freedoms.
Furthermore, both parties utilized the fear of communism as a political weapon, with Republicans particularly utilizing it to criticize Democrats. Warren G. Harding, a Republican who pledged to restore “normalcy” to America following the turbulent years of World War I, was elected in 1920 in part due to the dread of communism (Mintz, 2022). The clampdown on labor organizations and the workers’ movement, viewed as possible cradles of radicalism, was also prompted by the dread of communism (Library of Congress, 2019). Government agents investigated union headquarters and detained union officials, including Eugene V. Debs.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), tasked with looking into radical organizations, was also established due to the fear of Communism. The concern over communism also affected American foreign policy. The new Soviet government aroused suspicions from the American government, which declined to acknowledge it. The decision to join in the Russian Civil War on the side of the White Army, which was against the Bolsheviks, was also influenced by the dread of communism.
Post-World War II Communism Campaign
While fear of communism persisted during the post-World War II anti-communist campaign, the focus shifted to the perceived threat of Soviet territorial expansion and the global spread of communism. This concern led to the creation of the Truman Doctrine, which committed the United States to restricting communism and providing both financial and military assistance to nations threatened by communist aggressive action (Sempa, 2020).
The zeal against communism also led to the McCarthy era. Senator Joseph McCarthy oversaw an effort to hunt out communists and their supporters in the government, the media, and other sectors of society. The National Security Act of 1947 established the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Council, and NATO (Blunden, 2019). This was a military partnership between the United States and Western European nations, which were both influenced by the dread of communism.
The US government adopted a containment strategy during the Cold War, which lasted from the late 1940s until the early 1990s, to stop the rise of communism. Foreign policy choices, including the Korean War, Vietnam War, and the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, represented this philosophy. Political organizations used the fear of communism to wage war against their rivals during campaigns. For instance, Republican candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower charged Democratic rival Adlai Stevenson with being soft on communism during the 1952 presidential election (Blunden, 2019).
Domestically, the Red Scare, a time of extreme anti-communist hysteria in the US, was caused by the dread of communism. As a result, individuals suspected of being communists and those who sympathized with them, such as officials from the government, thinkers, and artists, were persecuted. To look into alleged subversive activities by communists, socialists, and other left-wing organizations, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was founded in 1938.
War on Terrorism After the Iraq War and September 11
The fear of terrorists and the perceived danger of extreme Islamic fundamentalism characterized the war against terrorism after September 11 and the Iraq War. This anxiety prompted the USA Patriot Act, which increased government powers to monitor while limiting civil freedoms, and the war in Iraq, which was justifiable on the grounds of suspected links to terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) (Taddonio, 2023).
The concern about terrorism also influenced voters to choose conservative candidates who pushed for a robust national defense and a priority on homeland security. The fight against terrorism significantly influenced elections and political decisions. Many disagreed on whether America was moving in the right direction regarding the Bush administration’s reaction to the attacks and the option to invade Iraq during the 2004 presidential election (Riedel, 2021).
The fight against terrorism significantly affected international policy, especially in the Middle East. In 2003, the United States attacked Iraq, claiming that there were missiles and that it was necessary to combat terrorism. The war was contentious, though, and many believed it was a mistake that cost many lives and valuable resources.
Conclusion
In conclusion, politicians have exploited fear as a powerful tool to sway public opinion and advance measures that ordinarily might not have been feasible. This is evident in the Red Scare after World War I, the anti-communist movement that followed World War II, and the War on Terror that emerged after the 9/11 attacks and the Iraq War. It is crucial to remember that fear is not always a reliable motivation and that decisions made out of fear may have unforeseen repercussions. As a result, leaders must keep their composure and avoid letting fear influence their decision-making. Only then will the societies and nations of the world be able to ensure that their policies are founded on reasoned arguments and solid data rather than just their anxieties.
References
Blunden, A. (2019b). The aftermath of the second world war. Marxists. Web.
Library of Congress. (2019). The post war United States, 1945-1968 .Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Web.
Mintz, S. (2022b). Historical context: The post-world war I red scare | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Web.
Sempa, F. P. (2020). The real Truman doctrine and its consequences. RealClearDefense. Web.
Riedel, B. (2021) 9/11 and Iraq: The making of a tragedy. Brookings. Web.
Taddonio, P. (2023). The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, 20 years later. PBS. Web.