McCarthyism and the Second Red Scare - Essay Example

? McCarthyism and the Second Red Scare The world had just emerged from the dark days of the Second World War. Widespread fear of foreign governments and ideologies were still at a heightened state in the U.S. Nearly every person had been personally and deeply affected by the horrors inflicted by a foreign menace. Those of Asian and German decent remained a people worthy of suspicion. Propaganda was a normal part of American life seen extensively in movies, newsreels, newspapers, classroom materials, heard on the radio and even in featured prominently in cartoons and comedic films. Americans were shaken and afraid. The Soviet sweeping occupation of Eastern Europe occurred immediately following WWII. In effect, Russia replaced Germany and Japan as the American nemesis. The “Godless Communists” became a clear and present danger to a nation primed, ready and seemingly anxious to accept the Soviets as the new enemy of the “American Way.” Senator Joseph McCarthy seized upon this fear for, some would insist, purely political gain. He held hearings designed to weed-out subversives and communist sympathizers so as to keep America clean of communism. Instead, this time in history, the early 1950’s, is shamefully known as McCarthyism, a term that has since become a synonym for “witch hunt.” When World War II finally ended in 1945 Americans were war-weary and scared of a new threat, the Soviet Union. The Soviets had taken the place of Germany in the hearts and minds of Americans because it was emulating the aggressive, imperialistic tendencies of the Third Reich. The difference being the Soviets now had a military that more or less matched the strength of the U.S., was a larger country and had a long-established communist philosophy which it was also spreading rapidly throughout Eastern Europe. The Soviets also had the atomic bomb by 1949 and was increasing its rocket capabilities, a move than would ultimately pit the two world superpowers in the space race of the late 1950’s through the1960’s. The threat of nuclear annihilation and/or a communist takeover was very real in the minds of 1940’s-50’s America. The sales of backyard bomb shelters were booming and the propaganda machines left over from the Nazi era was in full production mode. Communists, known simply as “Reds” were feared and thought to be lurking just about anywhere, the guy in the office next to yours, neighbors, long-term friends and family. Communist theories were supposedly hiding within the meanings of literary phrases and all types of media including the news. “A curious process of symbolic transference was at work whereby symbols applied to Hitlerite Germany were projected onto the USSR on account of the dangerous ‘Red Fascism’ promoted by Stalin” (Sproule, 208). This era was not the first threat of communism in America. The initial wave of “commie” paranoia came in 1917 after the Russian Revolution. Anti-communist sentiment subsided during the 1920 and ‘30’s when it was replaced by anti-fascism. The “Second Red Scare” lasted from about 1947 to 1957. McCarthyism and anti-communist sentiments could not have gained traction without the high intensity propaganda campaign encouraged by the government to discourage subversives and by corporations in their effort to undermine unions. R.J. Reynolds, a large tobacco company, initiated a widespread multi-million dollar campaign to notify the country about the communistic character of labor unions, particularly the union representing tobacco workers. This tactic caught on rapidly with other industries resulting in plummeting union membership numbers across the country for several decades. This effort continues today but the fear-based term is now “socialism.” The U.S. and Soviet Union were firmly engaged in what is famously known as the Cold War. It was a fought on two fronts, a mass military build-up and a propaganda blitz. During this time of the second red scare, many local and state governments along with public schools and colleges required all students and employees to sign loyalty oaths to the U.S. Official loyalty programs were created in 39 states. Neighborhood watch groups were organized by nearly every town in an effort to protect the country from the spread of communism. These watch groups screened movies and books while questioning the material and intent of teachers and public speakers. They recommended the banning of anything they found might be considered anti-American. The book Robin Hood was removed from library shelves in Indiana because the concept of taking from the rich to give to the poor was considered communistic and therefore Un-American and subversive. It was at this time the myth of American Family Values came about. It was meant to encourage traditional beliefs and reinforce proper role models. “This propaganda did indeed aid in the American people’s acceptance of the Cold War and hatred for communist nations resulting in massive xenophobia.” (Chomsky, 32, 1988). Americans were encouraged to consume, to spend their discretionary income on goods and services. Consumerism was akin to patriotism. The prosperous economic times following WWII was the ideal time to tout the virtues of capitalism thereby decrying the communist system. This was another type of propaganda meant to compete against the “Red Menace” philosophy. The timing could not have been better. The U.S. economy was more robust than the rest of the world combined. America was undoubtedly the world’s economic super-power along with being one of the two military superpowers. Americans were experiencing more financial prosperity than they had ever known and did not have to be coerced into believing the capitalist system was superior. No wonder the American people clung so fervently onto the idea of capitalism. They were not going to give up their newfound prosperity to stand in bread lines and live in cramped apartments like the Soviet people. “With the onset of this invisible threat of communism, the idea that somehow communism was trying to displace the successes of capitalism drew the ire of successful Americans.” (Corriher, 2010) The capitalist system put the responsibility for a person’s livelihood and well being solely on that individual. The individualistic component of capitalism led to the paranoid response of naming names and pointing fingers during the McCarthy era. “People began to search for answers to what they felt was an invisible intrusion.” (Corriher, 2010) The inclination to name names was simply an instinctive reaction. America and its allies conquered the Fascist menace abroad but immediately following WWII Americans turned this anti-American fervor inward. Americans feared other Americans. Censorship was occurring on a massive scale. Russia and the U.S. were allies but that association vanished immediately after the war. When WWII ended, the Cold War began. Any non-democratic nation or concept was the enemy of the U.S. During the McCarthy-era, beginning of the Cold War years, American missiles and rhetoric were pointed at the Soviet Union but the ground war was fought on American streets. Government officials hunted for dissenters within the borders of the country and purging both private companies and government agencies of supposed communists. More than two hundred people were indicted and jailed under provisions of the Smith Act, a law designed to remove anti-American sympathizers but the law was ruled unconstitutional in 1957. By 1954 many people had their rights of citizenship stripped away such as the right to vote and the ability to accept government benefits. Others were fired from their job or kicked out of school due to misplaced suspicion. Untold numbers of law-abiding Americans had their reputations and lives ruined by the “Red Scare” paranoia sweeping the nation. The most high-profile incident involved Julius and Ethel Rosenburg, open members of the Communist Party, who were convicted of espionage and executed in 1953. (Chitty & Murolo, 233, 2001). Despite the numerous civil rights violations during this period, the American government continued to say its greatness was derived from granting civil liberties as opposed to communist countries. Many at the time might argue one was the same as the other but few would do so out loud. Communist subversion was seen as a real threat in small towns, large cities and within the halls of the federal government. The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), formed in 1947 and disbanded in 1975, claimed that communist sympathizers had infiltrated the President Truman administration and claimed the movie industry was flush with communists who were making blatantly anti-capitalist movies while also adding subliminal messages. HUAC began its investigation of the movie industry hunting for communist sympathizers. Following a string of union strikes, all allegedly associated with the American Communist Party, the President of the Screen Actors Guild Studio Ronald Reagan along with other heavyweights in the industry including Jack Warner and Walt Disney claimed communists had become influential within the movie industry. HUAC began compiling its list of what would become 43 suspected subversives then subpoenaed 11 from that list to appear before HUAC. When asked whether or not they had ever been associated with the Communist Party, just one would answer the question. The other 10, nicknamed the “Hollywood Ten,” refused to answer citing their first amendment rights. Most of the famous 10 actually were now or had been associated with the Communist Party. This group, which included directors and screenwriters, served time in jail after being found in contempt of Congress. Members of the Hollywood Ten would wait years to work in the industry again, if they ever would. “Afraid of audience backlash, studio producers issued the Waldorf Statement, which blacklisted the Hollywood Ten, barring them from employment until they swore there was no allegiance with the Communist Party.” (Issad, 2012) A formidable group of well-known stars such as Gene Kelly, Lauren Bacall, Lucille Ball and Humphrey Bogart protested the investigations by forming the high-profile Committee for the First Amendment. U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy was not a well respected legislator among his colleges and by 1950 the future prospects of him keeping his Senator seat was fading rapidly. The lie he told regarding his war record while campaigning for office had just surfaced and he was embroiled in an investigation for tax fraud in addition to being prosecuted for taking bribes from the Pepsi-Cola Co. His career all but over, McCarthy decided to divert attention away from himself and his unscrupulous actions by using scare tactics. While in Wheeling, West Virginia speaking to a gathering of Republican women on February 9, 1950, McCarthy announced that he possessed a list naming more than 200 employees of the U.S. State Department who were “card-carrying” American Communist Party members. He further claimed some of these government employees were involved in supplying state secrets to the Soviet Union. McCarthy’s name made the headlines again but not due to nefarious reasons for a change. Of course history would judge this announcement as among his worst on a long list of failings. McCarthy was unable to produce even one person’s name in any government agency who was a known communist sympathizer when asked to testify before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. However, this inconvenient truth did nothing to stop McCarthy from his anti-communist campaign. Since McCarthy could not prove that any communists were systematically infiltrating the U.S. government, he began a smear campaign directed against political opponents. By exploiting the widespread fear of communism at the time McCarthy used his public platform to make outrageous, unsubstantiated attacks. “He began by claiming that communist subversives had infiltrated President Truman’s administration. When the Democrats accused McCarthy of smear tactics, he responded that their accusations were part of the communist conspiracy.” (Toler). Republicans were viewed as the champion against communism therefore the savior of democracy due to McCarthy’s false but popularly believed accusations. Riding a newfound wave of popularity Republicans gained both houses of Congress in the1950 elections. The remaining congressional Democrats were unwilling to condemn his actions. Practically overnight McCarthy became the most influential Senator just one year removed from being selected “worst U.S. Senator” by the Senate press corps. A Republican, Dwight D. Eisenhower, became President in the 1952 election. McCarthy lobbied for and received the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Government Operations. He also chaired the Committee’s investigation subcommittee. “In an ironic mirror image of Stalin's trials of alleged counter-revolutionaries, McCarthy held hearings against individuals he accused of being communists, and government agencies suspected of harboring them.” (Toler). McCarthy used the national media in an attempt to discredit journalists who criticized his hearings. He condemned the former Supreme Allied Commander and now President Eisenhower for being soft on communism. He also campaigned heavily to have “anti-American” literature taken out of libraries. McCarthy met more than his match when he took on Secretary of the Army Frank Pace in an attempt to discredit him. The Army turned McCarthy’s bullying style against him. Army officials leaked embarrassing, verifiable information about McCarthy’s personal life to press members who had been critical of him then formally accused him of subverting civilian officials and military officers during a Senate hearing. Republicans would lose control of the Senate following the 1954 mid-term elections due in part to the public’s lack of trust and confidence in McCarthy which carried over to other Republican hopefuls. The carry-over effect that swept Republicans in office in 1950 swept them back out in 1954, both due to the fortunes of McCarthy. By a sixty-seven to twenty-two vote Senators consequently censured McCarthy because of conduct “contrary to Senate traditions.” (Toler). The era of the Second Red Scare was a divisive time in American history. The all-for-one mentality that sustained the nation during WWII was long gone in just a few years. The mass paranoia over a largely invented communist threat effectively ended the all-in-this-together mode Americans were in just a few years earlier. This circumstance divided Americans, pitting them against each other in a suspicion showdown. It also separated the U.S. from the rest of the world. At that point American began an isolationist attitude. That “we are number one” feeling persists today even though it was a nakedly obvious propagandist tool of 60 years ago. Political leaders have used fear and the natural tendency towards paranoia to manipulate people for centuries. Communism was never a threat to take hold in America, a nation built securely on capitalistic principles. McCarthy simply exploited that human weakness to further his political career. “While there were numerous corrupt individuals, the paranoia arose from an entire culture’s desire to retain their way of life.” (Corriher, 2010) All cultures seem to need a “them” to rally against. Leaders of countries have often exploited this inherent need. The circumstances in years following WWII led to a perfect storm for paranoia and an isolationist, elitist attitude among Americans who had reacted quickly and as one to defend their country from the invisible yet seemingly menacing communist invasion. The government deceived the nation via its continued propaganda campaign left over from the war years and provided the environment for the people to express their paranoid anxieties. McCarthy was the same as other Americans in this regard but he was part of government and chose to exploit those fears. He, like other Americans were a product of the times. He just had a louder, more far-reaching voice. Communism could never have gained popularity in the U.S. which has prospered more so than Russia. Today Islamic paranoia in the form of Sharia Law reminds of the Red Scare era. People are frightened that an invisible enemy will replace the present system of laws. The shameful behavior of the Red Scare era is being repeated as are many other lessons that history should have taught us. References: Sproule, J. Michael. 1997. “Propaganda and Democracy: the American experience of media and mass persuasion.” Cambridge University Press. Chomsky, Noam and Edward S. Herman. 1988. “Manufacturing Consent.” Pantheon Books: New York. Chitty, A. B. and Priscilla Murolo. 2001. “From the Folks Who Brought You the Weekend.” The New Press: New York. Isaad, Virginia. October 17, 2012. “It Happened This Week in L.A. History: The Red Scare Comes To Hollywood” Los Angeles Magazine. November 6, 2012 http://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10451592 Toler, Pamela D., PhD “Senator Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare Net Places.” November 6, 2012 http://www.netplaces.com/understanding-socialism/chapter-19/senator-joseph-mccarthy-and-the-red-scare.htm Brad Corriher. August 1, 2010. “Another Day in the Life - McCarthyism as a Natural Human Reaction.” Yahoo Voices November 6, 2012 http://voices.yahoo.com/another-day-life-mccarthyism-as-natural-human-6603996.html Read More