Sunday, April 26, 2009
Joseph McCarthy/HUAC
In 1950s the second “red scare” came back to visit the US. The particular man in this period is a senator named Joseph McCarthy. He knew what American people’s fear and used that to propose his position in the government. In the mean time, the government created the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Joseph McCarthy – republican senate from Wisconsin -rose to popularity during a speech in 1950 in which he proclaimed that the State department was full of Communists. Even Truman the president feared to cross him. Americans were so feared of communism spread to unconstitutional arrest and imprisonment of suspected Reds therefore they listened to him. However he never produced any evidence to support this claim. Although he became a leading member of Congress during his “witch” hunts (1950-1954). In 1954, once again McCarthy tried to push the army into his target, but this time he went too far. The televised hearing showed McCarthy as a bully who treated his witnesses badly. In return McCarthy got a rapid decline as an influence at which he was condemned by the senate for conduct “contrary to senatorial traditions” and censured (disproval /discredit actions). The HUAC also did those same interrogations as McCarthy did but it was separate from him. It also held many public hearings and treated those who refused to answer its questions as guilty of being communists. It ruined many reputations by accusing many in the movie, televisions and radio industry. The second reds scare brought the American back the 1920s time but way more serious and lack of freedom of speech and fear. Freedoms from fear, one of the major of FDR four -point was shaky as well. Public fear of communism in this period was much more serious than the first red scare in 1920s.
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