Truman Red Scare Essay

As the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States raged on in the late 1940s and early 1950s, panic over the recognized threat posed by Communists in the U.S. became known as the Red Scare. The Red Scare led to a range of actions that had a thorough effect on U.S. government and society. Federal employees were analyzed to determine whether they were sufficiently loyal to the government, and the House Un-American Activities Committee, as well as U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy, investigated allegations of insurgent elements in the government and the Hollywood film industry. The climate of fear and oppression caused from the Red Scare finally began to lessen by the late 1950s.

Thoughts like this were not totally based on fact. The USSR had long carried out espionage activities inside America with the help of U.S. citizens, mainly during World War II. As disbelief about Soviet influence grew as the Cold War heated up, U.S. leaders decided to take action. On March 21, 1947, President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9835, also known as the Loyalty Order, which mandated that all federal employees be analyzed to determine whether they were sufficiently loyal to the government. Truman’s loyalty program was a startling development for a country that prized the concepts of personal liberty and freedom of political organization. This was only one of many questionable activities that occurred during the …show more content…
HUAC’s investigations normally focused on exposing Communists working inside of the government or the Hollywood film industry. Because of taking heat from all of the negative publicity pointed to their studios, movie producers created blacklists, which prevented suspected radicals from employment. Similar blacklists were created in other