The Fear Of Communism In The 20th Century

Fear was a prominent factor that drove American society in the 20th century. The fear of communism conflicted with democracy. After World War I and World War II, fear of world domination hung over the United States. Americans watched nations, such as China transition itself into being communist, as half of Europe was controlled by Stalin. Americans nationwide saw communism as a threat, as it led to hysteria for the decades that followed. The compelling threat of communism led to McCarthyism. McCarthyism involved investigations that revolved around the threat of communism, as well as it had negative effects on society, and court trials. McCarthyism is derived from Joseph McCarthy’s actions in the 1950s. The McCarthy era began in 1950, and …show more content…
That same day, he published 81 cases of claims against the suspected communists. Without bearing enough evidence, McCarthy’s charges were inadmissible, which permitted his persistent allegations. McCarthy continued to make accusations for the years to come. Through McCarthy’s actions, he became the headline of the media and investigated various government departments. McCarthy worked his way up in 1953, as he became chairman of the Government Committee on Operations of the Senate. This enabled him to have more leverage on information to further his investigations. Within McCarthy’s time in government he targeted innocent lives, as well as Hollywood’s entertainment industry. Many people on his suspected lists were not communists, as 2,000 people lost their jobs. His downfall began when he investigated the US Army’s Joseph Welch. Welch’s comment, “Have you no sense of decency, sir?” swayed the public to turn against McCarthy. Until 1954, America realized who McCarthy was through his 36-day hearing that emphasized his overstepping authority. Since accusations accumulated over time, there were negative effects that played a role in American …show more content…
This led to people to distrust one another, which made it possible for accusations to occur. Essentially, people perceived communism as a threat, and tied this ideology to those convicted were also seen as a threat to the country. Innocent people experienced trauma, as they were to be prosecuted by their own nation. Loyalty to one another barely existed, since people could not rely on dependency for each other in the fear of being turned in. The desire towards unavailing searches for communists, drove away attention towards helping others. Although McCarthyism feed the growth of national security to protect against communist infiltration, federal agents attacked labor unions and individual rights. This discouraged people from conducting reforms, as they would become targets. Not only did McCarthy’s accusations cause effects on society, but numerous trials to