Describe the red scare that occurred in the US shortly after the end of World War 1?

Answer 1

Following the Bolshevik revolution in Russia and the establishment of the Soviet Union, the Communists made efforts to promote revolutions in Europe and the US. In 1919, President Wilson appointed A. Mitchell Palmer as his attorney-general. His attempts to root out the communists, anarchists, and other radicals became known as The Red Scare. Bombs were found by the US Post Office, addressed to prominent politicians and capitalists. An anarchist was blown up outside of Palmer’s home. News was leaked to the press that the government was investigating important Americans and there was a belief that a radical overthrow of the government was in the works. Palmer enlisted the services of an attorney, J. Edgar Hoover, to help enforce provisions of the Espionage Act and the Sedition Act (1917/1918). A series of “Palmer Raids” were held in November, 1919, and thousands of anarchists, immigrants, and communists were rounded up. Many were detained without being charged and many were simply deported back to their native country with no evidence that they had done anything wrong. Palmer continued his raids despite finding no evidence of any kind of communist plot. Palmer claimed that May 1, 1920 (the socialist Labor Day) would bring massive demonstrations against the government. Nothing happened. The public became aware that Palmer was detaining people without cause, conducting searches without warrants, and deporting immigrants for no reason. Some even suggested he was making up the crisis so he could gain the nomination of the Democrats for president in 1920. Palmer’s popularity fell and the Red Scare came to an end as quickly as it started.