1.4 McCarthy in the Red scare Flashcards
McCarthyism
practise of accusing people of political fisloyalty without evidence
McCarthy’s position in the senate
Made chairman of senate committee
Allows him to investigate and interview government employees
The media
media intensified fear of communism
made people believe McCarthy movies which were used as propaganda to increase Red scare
fear of being labelled communist
McCarthy labelled Senator Tydings as a communist for calling him a fraud
Tydings lost elections to a McCarthy supporter
People afraid to speak out against McCarthy
Work of HUAC
HUAC investigated people accused by McCarthy
People found guilty proves McCarthy right
Other republicans
Republican party showed support for McCarthy as they could see being tough on communism won elections
Why people may oppose McCarthy:
No evidence
He rarely showed evidence for political disloyalty
He faked evidence
Why people may oppose McCarthy:
Undemocratic
Many people, including Truman, believed McCarthy was behaving undemocratically
People outside of US saw him as ‘potential hitler’
Why people may oppose McCarthy:
Ruined lives
Senator Tydings
Black mark on their name
Usually dismissed from their job and difficult for them to find a new one
Eisenhower actions
1953 he sets up investigation for communist elements in the government to clear the air of unreasonable suspicion
Investigation into the army
McCarthy investigates soldiers and broadcasted the interviews
Public got to see the harsher side of McCarthy
Role of Media
Ed Murray invited McCarthy on to a TV programme to stand up to him how unreasonable he has been
McCarthy called him a communist
Senate actions
McCarthy is publicly reprimanded
He lost chairmanship of senate state committee
