The McCarthy Era

The Hunt for Communists

Who was Joseph McCarthy?

• Most famous anti-Communist Activist

• Ineffective 1st three years in Senate

• Needed winning issue in 1950 to win– Decided to sound alarm about Communists in

the Government

Tactics• Made one unsupported claim after another

• Various times claimed to have names of 51, 87, and 205 Communists in State Dept.

• Claimed Democrats guilty of “20 years of treason” for allowing communist infiltration.

• Only made claims in Senate so could not be sued for Slander

• Republicans allowed him to go on b/c hoped it would help win them a Republican presidency

McCarthy’s Downfall

• 1954, made accusations against the US army

• RESULT: Nationally televised Senate Investigation

• His bullying of witnesses alienated the audience = cost of public support

• Senate condemned him for improper conduct

• He died 3 years later, suffering from effects of alcoholism

Causes and Effects of McCarthyismCAUSES

• SU establish communist regimes in E. Europe after WW2

• SU develops A-Bomb quicker than expected

• Korean War ends in stalemate

• Republicans gain by accusing Truman/ Democrats of being soft on Communism

Effects

• Millions of Americans forced to take loyalty oaths, undergo loyalty investigations

• Activism in Labor Unions goes into decline

• People are hesitant to speak out on public issues for fear they will be charged as Communists

• Anti-Communism continues to drive US foreign policy.