A Decade Of Fear By Joseph Mccarthy

334 Words2 Pages
McCarthyism had a multitude of reasons as to why it turned many Americans against each other after WWII. Within the article, “A Decade of Fear” by Sam Robert, the events leading up to McCarthyism, and events after, are thoroughly explained to showcase the effects on civilization in America. In Robert’s view, “...many Americans were inclined to believe the worst, even without evidence” (9). Joseph McCarthy scared Americans by claiming he knew of 205 Communists working in the State Department after WWII. Later on, he had reported that he only knew of 57 Communists instead of 205, but never publicly released any evidence to back up his claim. According to the author, when McCarthy investigated Hollywood entertainers, “...they risked ostracism