The First Red Scare
The seventh of November 2017 is a 100 year celebration since the Russian Bolshevik Revolution. 1917 was the year that changed the history of Russia dramatically; however, the revolution postponed the imprint on the overall world. The ability of Bolsheviks to get the power in Russia threatened the capitalistic style of life of other countries. In addition, the Bolshevistic government was planning the aggressive foreign policy in order to spread socialistic views all over the world. With this case, democratic governments headed by the USA showed Red Scare towards that situation.
The beginning of the 20th century was full of the bloodiest events in the history of Europe. World War I was the largest and most severe war in history, where advanced mass murder weapons were used for the first time. German troops, who initiated the war, represented a huge power at that time and kept, not only the rest of Europe, but also the USA in awe. Americans were also afraid of the war consequences for their country because before the World War I the USA represented less world power as European countries. After the German threat on the American society, the Red Scare spread at a fast rate. According to Murray’s definition, Red Scare was “a nation-wide anti-radical hysteria provoked by a mounting fear and anxiety that the Bolshevik Revolution in America was imminent--a revolution that would destroy property, church, home, marriage, civility, and the American way of life” (Murray, p.29). The causes for Red Scare included:
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• The rise of strong nationalistic and anti-immigrant sympathies;
• Fear that immigrants, particularly from Russia, southern Europe, and eastern Europe, intended to overthrow the United States