The Red Scare

They Sucked Wang

When McCarthy ended the Red Scare, it marked a significant decline in the intense anti-communist sentiment that had characterized the period, particularly during the early 1950s. The decline was largely due to McCarthy's eventual fall from grace, as his aggressive tactics and unfounded accusations led to a loss of public support and credibility. The Army-McCarthy hearings in 1954 played a pivotal role in exposing his methods, leading to his censure by the Senate. As a result, the political climate shifted towards a more cautious approach to anti-communism, moving away from the hysteria that had previously prevailed.

the trial and execution of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti.

For the united states, there were accualy two red scares, one in the 1917-1920 and the second was from 1947-1957. During both U.S. citizens were commonly accused of being communist, During the second red scare the smith act was passed through congress -Smith Act-making it a crime to "knowingly or willfully advocate, abet, advise or teach the duty, necessity, desirability or propriety of overthrowing the Government of the United States or of any State by force or violence, or for anyone to organize any association which teaches, advises or encourages such an overthrow, or for anyone to become a member of or to affiliate with any such association. Also during the red scare,many people were afraid of neuclear attack and the government sent out videos telling everyone to "duck in cover" in case of a neuclear attack.

Communism in Russia

The major events which sparked the red scare in the U.S. were the political takeovers of neighboring countries after World War II by the Soviet Union. These included many eastern European countries, such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. Thus, fear was spread in U.S. political and governmental circles, and the domino theory was born (namely that the Soviet Union would influence southeast Asian countries to become communist and perhaps, the rest of the world).

McCarthy's first break into infamy was arguably his Wheeling speech to the Republican's Womens Club in Wheeling, West Virginia. He claimed to have a list of US politicians and government officials that were known Communists, which was later made public. This lead to the Tydings Committee Hearings, where many of these convicted politicians were tried and executed. This ended up causing the US to go into a sense of "Red Scare" in the early 1950's.

You're talking about the first "Red Scare", which took place from 1919-1920. It was a large scale fear of changing labor habits and political radicalism that was taking place in Europe, manly Russia.

my balls

Let's face it. Nobody likes losing power & clout. Whether it's Comrade General of USSR or CEO of USA. Well, USSR was the first example where an alternative to the "normal" or "de norm" mode of production was conceived. It covered a hug geographical landmass, and was expanding rapidly. So, that would naturally cause a scare in the US. Red Scare was the system's dictator status quo agents' knee jerk reaction just as u had repeated "blue scares" in Communist lands.

And following WWII...

If North Korea develops a nuke, it causes a scare. Eventhough they may not use it in a million years. So, in same light, I don't think there was anything "rational" about McCarthyism. But I just wished he made more intelligent propaganda. I loved the way SOcialism- an ECONOMIC model was tied into freedom- a SOCIAL & POLITICAL concept. As if u can't have tyrannical capitalist regimes or democratic Socialist regimes?

What was most illogical about McCarthyism was that it viewed an economic model as an antagonism to something completely diffrent. Comparing Socialism w/ "freedom" is like comparing chemical warfare w/ Banana yield in Peru last year.

I guess nobody is going to "love" an opposing system, especially in bipolar setup, but McCarthy & Co should've added more logic to their arguments. Soviets also did SAME critique of capitalism, their points were about as "rational" as McCarthy's but they actually invested more time in making their arguments sound more professional to the neutral ear (who doesn't live in US / NATO area or USSR / WArsaw Pact area).

Firing people who refused to take an oath to be anti-communist.

Mitchel Palmer, who started the Palmer Raids.

Yes, it did. People believed to be communist or helping communist causes, or sometimes, even just sympathetic to communists could get themselves into some deep trouble. Some were put on trial. Some were "blacklisted"-- in fact, at least 150 actors, writers & journalists were blacklisted.

PIE!

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.

the crucible and Salem witch trials

If "post war red scare" is referring to "post WW2...", there was no "Main...factor(s)..." leading to the "red scare." There was only ONE factor: Nuclear weapons. Ghengis Khan never had those weapons, Napoleon never had those weapons, Rome never had those weapons...and neither did Adolph Hitler or Imperial Japan! For the first time in the history of the human race, we now had a weapon(s) that could extinguish mankind. This wasn't some super battleship, or complicated chemical warfare weapon, or even some new super bomber like the B-52 Stratofortess...this was "The Bomb!" And the "Red's" had it too! That was the RED SCARE.

People panicked about the spreading of communism.

It got to the point that people in the US had to be very careful about what they said to whom. Gossip and rumor could ruin an individual real quick!

The Answer Is : Communist russia was increasing in size and control. making the us govnt scared. also Truman hated communist. leading to the red scare

It was the scare that the soviets would spread communism over the world.

The Red Scare was a time of fear due to Communism and how people were afraid it would spread. It lasted long because people especially the United States of America thought it would spread when people fought over battles, thus it would spread within the nation.

It ended the Hollywood careers of a great number of prominent actors, directors and writers, because once they were accused of being Communists by McCarthy, even if this was - as in most cases - totally unjustified, no studio dared give them work anymore and they were blacklisted.