The Red Scare

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that one of the most interesting events to take place in American history was the Red Scare, also known as the McCarthy Era. The writer points out that this took place in the late 1940s and early 1950s. During this time many people were unfairly named communists and victimized. The writer maintains that in many ways, the Red Scare resembled the infamous Salem Witch Hunt and trials of the 1690s. The writer notes that people were wrongfully accused of being Communists and they lost their jobs over someone's wrong accusations, much like those accused of being witches in the late 1600s and early 1700s. The writer concludes that people working in film, television, radio and theater were fired from their jobs and could not get new ones as a result of the blacklist. Because the blacklisting was secret, no one knows how many people were actually affected, but it affected many.

From the Paper:

"As the United States' resentment toward the Soviet Union deepened, members of the Communist party started to be viewed progressively more as potential enemy agents and that view was what provided the justification for what happened during the McCarthy period. President Truman passed the Truman Doctrine which offered military aid to any country that was against communism. The U. S. felt threatened by Communism and believed it was spreading, and was likely to take over the world if not stopped quickly. McCarthy and Truman believed that communists in the United States were part of a secret conspiracy against their country and followed all orders sent to them by Stalin. This belief had very little basis on reality although the communists were a highly disciplined organization that did have a connection to the Soviet Union."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Fariello, Griffin. Red Scare: Memories of the American Inquisition, Replica Books, 1997.
• Haynes, John. Red Scare or Red Menace?: American Communism and Anti Communism in the Cold War Era, Ivan R. Dee, 1996.
• Griffith, Robert. The Politics Of Fear, University of Massachusetts Press, 1987.

More papers on The Red Scare:

• Cause and Effect Essay # 117271 : "Causes of the Red Scare"
• Essay # 62842 : "Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare"
• Analytical Essay # 9842 : "How the "Red Scare" Influenced Hollywood"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: