McCarthyism, which was also known as the ‘Second Red Scare’, was a significant period in American history in the early 1950s and was related to the Cold War. It was marked by an intense paranoia of communism in the United States and named after United States Senator Joseph McCarthy. McCarthy led investigations and made public accusations against individuals he suspected of having communist ties, often without proper evidence. Some of the accused lost their careers due to these accusations, especially in government, entertainment and education. As such, the era of McCarthyism reflected the paranoia of the Cold War and the fear that communism was infiltrating American society.
WHAT WAS THE COLD WAR?
The Cold War was a major world event that took place from approximately 1945 until 1990. In general, the Cold War was a period of increased tensions and hostility between the superpowers of the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR). It was characterized by a global struggle between capitalism and communism, with both sides competing for influence around the world. Although it never escalated into direct war between the superpowers, it involved proxy wars, nuclear arms races, and ideological confrontations. However, the Cold War also saw the United States undergo a fear of communism in its own country and a dramatic challenge to its democracy. This event is known as the period of McCarthyism or the ‘Second Red Scare’.
MCCARTHYISM – CAUSES
As stated above, McCarthyism was a period in the 1950s when a fear of the spread of communism in the United States dominated the political and social attitudes of the country. For example, during this time thousands of American citizens were accused of, and investigated for, possible connections to communism. Since the United States was locked in an ideological conflict with the Soviet Union, and the ongoing events of the Cold War, many Americans were afraid of communism and sought to remove any communist elements in their own country. In fact, this fear of communism had been growing in the United States in the years and decades before the 1950s due to a series of significant events, including: the Russian Revolution, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, and the advancement of the Soviet nuclear program.
The Russian Revolution occurred in 1917 and saw the country of Russia transform into a communist state under the control of a dictator. In fact, Russia was the first country in the world to adopt communism. As a result, many countries in Europe and North America were fearful of the ideology of communism spreading to different regions of the world. In fact, this period was known as the ‘First Red Scare’ and spanned from approximately 1917 to 1920. It saw the United States government and American society react to perceived threats of communism with heightened suspicion. This is why the era of McCarthyism in the 1950s is referred to as the ‘Second Red Scare’, since it was similar to the earlier events of the First Red Scare.
Another factor that led to the events of McCarthyism was the fear surrounding espionage or spying. In fact, one of the most famous examples of the era was that of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. In 1951, Jewish-Americans Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were tried and convicted of espionage against the government of the United States for stealing and providing secret information to the Soviet Union. After being discovered, Julius and Ethel underwent a very public trial which ended with their execution for ‘anti-American’ activities. The couple became the first American citizens to be to be executed for espionage in the United States. Their arrest and trial escalated the fears in American society of the spread of communism and communist spies, which led to the heightened paranoia of the McCarthyism era.
Finally, the advancement of the Soviet nuclear program was another contributing factor to the development of McCarthyism in the 1950s. At the outset of the Cold War, the United States was the only nation in the world to contain atomic weapons, such as those used against Japan in 1945. As such, the Soviet Union was not able to militaristically challenge the United States and worked to develop their own atomic weapons. However, on August 29th, 1949, the Soviet Union performed a test of their first atomic bomb codenamed ‘First Lighting’. This development led to widespread fear and uncertainty in the United States, and created a climate of paranoia that led to the events of McCarthyism.
MCCARTHYISM – SUMMARY
The McCarthyism era gained its name from United States Senator, Joseph McCarthy, who is credited with leading the anti-communist movement in the United States in the 1950s. McCarthy was a senator for Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957. During his time as a senator he famously declared that the United States government was filled with communists and communist sympathizers.
In particular, he gained national attention in 1950 when he claimed to have a list of communists working within the United States government. However, he never provided evidence to back up his claims. Instead, McCarthy capitalized on the widespread fear of communism during the Cold War, and held public hearings against those accused. His investigations ruined or limited the careers of many, since those that were accused of being communist sympathizers were often ‘blacklisted’ or fired based on unproven accusations. Over time, his aggressive behavior and lack of proof began to raise concerns about civil liberties and the abuse of government power.
The two most famous examples of the impact of McCarthyism on American society were the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and the ‘Hollywood Blacklist’. The HUAC was a committee of the United States House of Representatives that conducted investigations against American citizens accused of carrying out ‘anti-American actions’. In particular, the HUAC carried out a number hearings against people accused of having communist connections. The HUAC eventually was terminated after the fall from grace of Joseph McCarthy. His downfall began with the televised Army-McCarthy hearings in 1954, which displayed his aggressive nature and led to a loss of public and political support. Later that year, the United States Senate formally censured him, effectively ending his influence.
The Hollywood Blacklist refers to a time in the 1950s when many who worked in the entertainment industry were blacklisted as being either communist or communist sympathizers. Being blacklisted meant these people were unable to find work in the industry and several were forced to face hearings in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee.
In the end, McCarthyism declined by the mid to late 1950s and Joseph McCarthy was widely discredited based on his claims of widespread communist involvement in the United States government.
MCCARTHYISM – SIGNIFICANCE
McCarthyism was significant for a number of reasons. First, it was significant because it highlighted how fear and suspicion during the Cold War could lead to abuses of civil liberties in the United States. For example, it put a great deal of pressure on American democracy by bringing into question issues of free speech and free association. Further to this idea, McCarthyism created a culture of paranoia in the United States where accusations alone could destroy a person’s livelihood without proper evidence.
Second, the era of McCarthyism in the Cold War exposed the dangers of political extremism and abuse of power, especially when driven by a fear of communism. It also had a lasting impact on American politics, media, and the public’s trust in government. It continues to be studied by historians and is viewed as a dark time in American history.
