Americans feared communism during the Red Scares largely due to the perceived threat of a radical ideology that opposed capitalism and democratic values. The rise of the Soviet Union and its influence on global communism heightened anxieties about espionage and subversion within the United States. Events like the Bolshevik Revolution and labor strikes in the U.S. contributed to fears of a potential communist uprising. This atmosphere of paranoia was further fueled by government actions, such as the Palmer Raids, which sought to root out alleged communist sympathizers.
Communism
Communism
During the Red Scare, the Americans feared the spread of communism (red was the colour of the flag of the communist Soviet Union and the communist emblem known as the red star). There were two Red Scares in U.S.A.: 1) 1919-1920: Fear of socialist revolution and political radicalism (red is a symbol of radical ideology). 2) 1947-1957: Fear of national and foreign communism influencing American society and/or infiltrating the federal government.
communism
Americans were very worried about the threat of Communism in the 1950s. This fear was so prevalent at the time that the 1950s are often called the time of the "Red Scare."
The fear of communism influencing Americans.
They feared the spread of Communism
Americans showed the fear of communism thorough the McCarthy trials. The trials tried many innocent people for fear they supported communism. Students practiced duck and cover drills in case of raids.
The two Red Scares focused on different topics involving communism. During the first Red Scare, the fear was focused on the spread of communism via far left agitators. The Second Red Scare, on the other hand, focused on a worker revolution and radical politics.
American's feared communism for how it could change their lifestyles and Lenin had the ability to bring communism to America with Russia's army.
communism
In the 1940s and 1950s, Americans had a cultural hysteria about the Soviet threat.