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How Did Joseph Mccarthy Impact On American Culture

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Joseph McCarthy, a former Wisconsin senator and anti-communist, once declared, “Our job as Americans and as Republicans is to dislodge the traitors from every place where they’ve been sent to do their traitorous work.” With this quote alone, one can see the numerous parallels between the ideals of McCarthy and modern government officials. Since McCarthy rose to power in the 1950s, Americans have distrusted neighbors, co-workers, and friends, believing they did not hold “American” beliefs and need to be deported. However, this is not the only way McCarthy and his views permeate modern American society and culture. Joseph McCarthy has had more impact on American society and culture than any other person in history, because Americans still have an intense fear of communist countries and their nuclear bombs, fear of other ideas and beliefs, and the amount of power and influence government workers can gain through accusations. …show more content…

McCarthy practically started the Cold War in America, with his supposed list of two hundred and five names of government officials who were communists. After this, the Soviet Union and America developed and advanced nuclear bomb technology, which is still a prevalent fear in the American public today. With recent arguments between President Trump and Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un and tests of nuclear missiles, American citizens have a justified fear of nuclear war. This fear began with the Cuban Missile Crisis, which was a part of the Cold War, for which many blame Joseph McCarthy. Therefore, McCarthy is to blame for the current distress over the impending threat of nuclear

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McCarthy used this to further his career and public standing by dragging people’s names through the mud and ending their careers. Needless to say that the issue McCarthy addresses is a highly emotional subject and needs to broach with great care. McCarthy uses good and sometimes logical fallacies to argue his point, however he also uses strong bold statements to encourage the president to give him the records he wants to continue his witch hunt in America. After listing his demands McCarthy states, “Failure on your part will label the Democratic Party of being the bedfellow of international communism.

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In McCarthy’s speech in Wheeling, West Virginia, he mentions how there were communists throughout the government. He targeted those treated well by the Nation, such as the wealthy and white-collar workers. Attacking people born with silver spoons in their mouths, those who are born privileged, and claiming the ones in the government are Communists increases the amount of fear the Americans had that communism was spreading. Despite McCarthy’s accusations that these people were communists, he never provided evidence that supported his claim. McCarthy’s “witch hunt” for Communists, also known as McCarthyism, was a movement he used to make himself more powerful and to discredit the Truman

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The Cold War was a war of ideologies and propaganda. Hence, the smallest display of failure or mistrust on one side meant a great advantage for the other. This is exactly what McCarthy did in the 1950's. He created and developed a period of negativity in his time as a senator. By doing so, he gave the Soviets an advantage, and he weakened America's image internationally.

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