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Joseph Mccarthy, Mccarthyism And The Mccarthy-Army Hearings

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Joseph McCarthy, McCarthyism and the Mccarthy-Army Hearings
On September 2, 1945, the Second World War ended and what became known as the “Cold War” began between the United States and Soviet Union. The Cold War was mainly a disagreement between the two oppositions of government- Communism versus Democracy which divided the world. (Lindrop 19-29) This subject also divided America and caused political outbreak throughout the country. After many countries surrounding Russia fell to communism, it frightened American citizens into a frenzy compelling them to take all measures needed to not let their country get plagued by the same disease that affected some many countries in Eastern Europe and other parts of the world. Hysteria of communism plaguing the U.S. was normal after war, but during the 1950s the Red Scare hysteria maximized because of the on-going Cold War, media and accusations made by Joseph McCarthy.
Under the leadership of Mao Zedong in 1949, China was one of the many countries …show more content…

Senate. He won his campaign by bashing his opponent for his failure to enter the war and for boasting about his own heroism. This was not the last time he used this tactic to further his agenda. McCarthy, feeling unpopular or little known in Congress and with reelection on it’s way, felt compelled to do something to get recognition and re-elected for another term in the Senate. He needed something to base his campaign on and found his answer in the midst of the news of the Red Scare. “Americans were uneasy, filled with anxieties and fears about the Cold War, and distressed that World War I had obviously not been the war to end war. They wanted answers to explain their dilemma and for many the Communist “conspiracy” in Washington seemed to be the apparent explanation.” (Associated Press 144) It was at that moment Senator Mccarthy, who was in search of a political agenda, had found

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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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The government, including McCarthy, wanted more power also at this time. It all was a big mess. It seemed like McCarthy wanted the power more than everyone else. So he started to try and take control of things. If he thought that a person was a communist then he would call them out and take almost everything from them even if they were not communists.

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McCarthy manipulated the media, told outrageous stories about the communist conspiracy in the United States, and used his power and America’s fear to besmirch any opponents as “communist sympathizers” to make sure he remained at the top. Actually, most conservative members of Congress supported McCarthy because it helped them gain votes during elections. The majority of McCarthy 's movement attacked liberals and members of the Democratic Party and this aided anyone who was not part of those topics and organizations. Then McCarthy began to target the Army because they wouldn’t favor David Schine, one of his former investigators, who had been drafted in. “Senator Joseph McCarthy began hearings investigating the United States Army, which he charged with being ‘soft’ on communism.

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Joseph McCarthy gained power because of people’s fear of communism (“Red Monday”). McCarthy claimed that 205 government officials were communists without supporting it with evidence which caused a panic (Fried 1). Frightened Americans asked for an explanation and instead McCarthy accused people, but he had the people’s support because he was against communists and that blinded people to the true facts (Fried 1). With the Smith Act and the House Un-American Activities Committee in place to ease the fear of communism, McCarthy’s unjust trials were able to be conducted (“Red Monday”). Rights were quickly being taken away to prevent the spread of communism, however, it was so that McCarthy could keep gaining power without anyone being able to say otherwise (“Red Monday”).

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The Soviet Union was on the verge of a nuclear war, so McCarthy put fear in everyone because no one had any idea who was a communist and who was not. He made everyone afraid to trust people, even the friends other had. They were afraid that they would be accused

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At his speech in West Virginia that year, he waved the said list of names claiming that the biggest threat to the nation was not the Soviets overseas, but the traitors who live among us. This year began McCarthy’s rise in the United States’ battle against communists. He used the political weight he carried to further himself in his place as Senator of Wisconsin.

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Sam Robert, in the article, A Decade of Fear argues that mccarthyism turned americans against each other. Robert supports his claim by illustrating fear, describing betrayal, and comparing it to other United States internal conflicts. The author's purpose is to point out a vulnerable period in american history in order to demonstrate that americans felt prey to mccarthyism negative propaganda. The author writes in a reflective tone for and educated audience. I strongly agree with Roberts claim.

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McCarthy was a public figure that many Americans believed in and rooted for. Even though now in history, we see McCarthy as a villain in the scene of the Cold War, millions of American's at the time saw him to be simply wonderful. One thing that McCarthy was know for, was the number of people he had accused of being communist. McCarthy held hearings, and even brought hundreas of people infront of senate commities, that later on ruined many peoples lives. It was even said in the Pearson's video about McCarthy that he would carry around an envelope of names in his pockets during his press interviews and speeches , claiming to have hundreds of names of known communist that were involved in the government .

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