1920s Red Scare Flashcards
Why were people fleeing to the USA?
To escape poverty in Italy
To escape persecution in Eastern Europe eg Jews
To start a new life and find hope of prosperity
The Melting Pot theory
All immigrants would forget their culture, customs and religious beliefs and become Americans
They would symbolically all be put in a pot, melted down and reformed as Americans
What was the Red Scare?
When many Americans were bringing radical political beliefs with them such as Communism, Bolshevism or Anarchism
What evidence was there of the Red Scare?
400,000 workers went on strike, even the police in Boston
Looters and thieves roamed the streets
There was a wave of disturbances
There were race riots in 25 towns
What do modern historians think the strikes were caused by?
Economic hardship and not Communism
Wartime production levels had fallen and less demand meant workers were sacked
Some workers were immigrants and were complaining of low pay and long hours as well as terrible working conditions
What did contemporary Americans think caused the strikes?
Communist interference which meant the workers might take control of industry and agriculture from the owners
Republicans and the big business friends were scared
Why were fears about Communism justified?
Many immigrants has radical political views
Anarchists published pamphlets and posters calling for the overthrow of the government
In April 1919 a bomb killed 10 people in a Milwaukee church
In May 1919 letter bombs were posted to 36 prominent Americans
In June 1919 Mitchell Palmer the Attorney General was nearly killed
What happened to those with radical political beliefs?
Flimsy evidence was used to round them up
They were nearly always immigrants
Who was responsible for the purges?
J Egar Hoover
A young clerk appointed by Mitchell Palmer
He was to become an important and sinister figure in American history
What did J Edgar Hoover do?
Built up files on 60,000 suspects
In 1919, there were 10,000 people told they were going to be deported
What happened to Mitchell Palmer and why?
He tried to use fear to build up his own support to run for President
He predicted a Red Revolution would begin in May 1919
When it didn’t he looked stupid and papers and politicians began to undermine him
He was discredited
Who examined Hoover’s files on 60,000 suspects? What did they find?
Louis Post
Found only 556 of the 60,000 had any bias of truth
What was the name of the two anarchists executed?
Nicola Sacco
Bartolomeo Vanzetti
When were Sacco and Venzetti arrested? Why?
1920
On suspicion of armed robbery and murder
What quickly emerged after Sacco and Venzetti’s arrests?
They were anarchists who hated the American system of government and believed in destroying it by creating social disorder
