McCarthyism,
The Red Scare,
Nuclear Holocaust
Connor Berson, Dylan Waddell
Joseph McCarthy
● Joseph R. McCarthy was a republican
senator from Wisconsin.
● Was elected because of his track record in
World War II.
● In 1950, he claimed to know over 200
Communists in the US Government.
Joseph McCarthy (cont.)
● Lost popularity
after verbally
attacking Military
in 1954.
McCarthyism
● McCarthyism is the name for the antiCommunist movement in America that took
place during the late 1940s and 1950s.
● The policies of McCarthyism persisted in the
actions of the US Government during the
1960s.
McCarthyism Flourishes
● This idea flourished because of the cold war
environment, and the Republican victory in
1952.
● People were fearful and suspicious of
communists, which created anxiety.
● International conflict helped McCarthyism
flourish.
The Red Scare
● The Red Scare was
caused by
McCarthyism, and the
anxiety of the people
worrying that
communism is
spreading everywhere
The Red Scare (cont.)
● Because of the red scare, people assumed
that worker unions were full of communists
● Thought they would cause damage to
national and local economy by urging for
strikes and violence against huge
corporations
Dennis v. United States 1951
● The Supreme Court convicted Eugene
Dennis and 10 members of the American
Communist Party was indicted under the
Smith Act
● Smith Act: made it a criminal offense to
urge for an overthrow the government, and
to organize attempting to remove power
Nuclear Holocaust
● The Nuclear Holocaust was the belief that
there would be a Nuclear War
● On August 29, 1949 - Soviets explode their
first Atomic bomb.
○ As a result, Americans fear a Soviet nuclear attack.
○ US develops Hydrogen bomb in 1952, Soviets catch
up in 1955.
Nuclear Holocaust (cont.)
● Fears increased when communists took over
China.
● Korean War also escalated fear
● Highest fear of Nuclear war was during the
Cuban Missile Crisis.
Cuban Missile Crisis
● The Cuban Missile Crisis happened during
late October 1962.
● On October 16, 1962, President Kennedy
learned that the Soviet Union was shipping
Nuclear Missiles to Cuba.
Cuban Missile Crisis (cont.)
● President Kennedy publicly told the Soviet
Union to remove the missiles from Cuba on
Oct. 22, 1962.
● The peak of tension came on Oct. 27, 1962,
when Soviets shot down a US U-2
reconnaissance aircraft.
Cuban Missile Crisis (cont.)
● On October 27, 1962 Soviets agreed to remove
missiles from Cuba.
Sources
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Adams, Valerie. "McCarthyism: Cold War." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society.
ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 7 Mar. 2014.
Pierpaoli, Paul G., Jr. "Cold War (Consequences)." World at War: Understanding Conflict and
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Roberts, Priscilla. "McCarthyism: Cold War." World at War: Understanding Conflict and
Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 10 Mar. 2014.
Tucker, Spencer C. "Cold War: Coping with Crisis: Cuban Missile Crisis." World at War:
Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
Kennedy, David, Cohen Lizabeth, and Bailey Thomas, The American Pageant, Boston,
Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006.
"anticommunism." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
"Dennis v. United States (1951)." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
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