The 2nd Red Scare
Unit 9: Early Cold War
To Review: The 1st Red Scare
● After World War I
● Fear directed at labor unions and immigrants
The 2nd Red Scare: Causes
● Occurred after World War II
● fear directed at communists / disloyal Americans
(not just immigrants, it could be ANYONE!)
Soviet Spies!
● Soviets stole plans for, then quickly
developed, the atomic bomb
● The Rosenbergs: U.S. citizens
(also communists) convicted of
passing military secrets to the
Soviets and were executed in 1953.
Communism is SPREADING!
● Eastern Europe/Soviet bloc
● Chinese Revolution (Communist gain control
of nation in 1949)
● Korean War (1950-1953)
Joseph McCarthy
● Republican Senator from Wisconsin
(reputation as a weak politician & a drunk)
● Gained national fame in 1950, he gave a speech in
which he claimed that communists had infiltrated
the federal government...
...and he had a list of names…
...OF KNOWN COMMUNISTS!!!
But really...
When McCarthy finally revealed the names, he actually
provided an old, obscure list from 1947 of unproven
accusations of people who at some time had worked in the
State Department. Many no longer worked there.
McCarthy often exaggerated the listed accusations. For
example...
Unproven accusation as it was worded in the original list:
“This employee is with the Office of Information and Education
Exchange in New York City. His application is very sketchy. There
has been no investigation. Though he is 43 years of age, his file
reflects no history prior to June 1941
How McCarthy worded the SAME accusation in his speech:
“This individual...is with the Office of Information and Education.
According to the file, he is a known Communist. I might say that
when I refer to someone being a known communist, I am… merely
giving what is in the file. The individual also found his way to the
Voice of America Broadcast. Apparently the easiest way to get in
is to be a Communist.”
McCarthyism
● McCarthy played on people’s deepest fears of communist take over.
● He did not produce any real evidence, but the frightened public was
motivated by fear and didn’t really need any to support McCarthy’s cause.
McCarthyism: Joseph McCarthy’s tactic of spreading fear and making
baseless charges
● None of McCarthy’s claims were backed up with any evidence, yet he
continued to accuse more and more people of having communist ties.
● McCarthy’s investigations of communists extended to other aspects of
American government and society
The Fall of McCarthyism
● People who refused to “help” with investigations also
listed as communist
● Caused politicians to lose elections and people to be
fired from their jobs. Ruined lives and reputations
● McCarthy’s downfall: accusing President Truman U.
S. Army
● Hearings (tried accused communists) were televised,
and Americans began to see him as unfair, unethical,
and a bully.
● Censured by the Senate, died of liver failure 3 years
later