Anticommunism and McCarthyism 1947-1954
Claudia Richey
His/145
February 14, 2012
Kenneth Yates

What was the “Cold War?” The subject researched for this paper is describing the Cold War or the Red Scare; others call it the Red Menace. The Red Scare was the most important political and diplomatic issue of the last half of the 20th Century. Cold War enemies were the United States and the Soviet Union. The Cold war got its name because both sides were terrified of a real war directly between the two major nuclear missile countries in the world. In a war nuclear weapons may destroy everything. So instead, they fought each other indirectly bringing the cold war of words to light. They played a game of chance with problems in different countries of the world. They used words as weapons. They threatened and denounced each other. Both sides tried to make each other look foolish. Senator Joseph McCarthy was the prime instigator of this conflict between America and the Soviet Union.

Anticommunism and McCarthyism Differences

Even though anticommunism and McCarthyism are usually placed together, they are not the same. The meanings of both seem similar but are have differences in the meanings. Anticommunism is beliefs, social values and political, opinions where one part of government holds all the power. McCarthyism accuses men and women unfairly of communism, destroying the reputation of these people. They were placed on what is called a “blacklist”. Because President Eisenhower had faith in McCarthy, he supported or backed him in these beliefs. Eisenhower even stated “the government must be one that Communists and their sympathizers would find not only uncongenial but thoroughly hostile" (Frances, 1952 pg 1). The people never crossed or argued with McCarthy for fear of being on the blacklist. Many people called what McCarthy did a “witch