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Anticommunism and Mccarthyism

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Anticommunism and McCarthyism
Hist/145
November 30, 2011
Janice Harder

This paper will require me to define and use quotations to defend my position to answer the questions of the difference between McCarthyism and anti-communism, the perspective of the press, the decisions of the foreign policy, and the lives of Americans. I would attempt to integrate the questions of McCarthyism, anti-communism, and the perspective of the press in the first part of the paper, because they are related.
The differences are that McCarthyism was a radical expression of anti-communism, because anti-communism was a political belief that was against any social, cultural, political, and foreign policy that supported a government controlled state, economy, and cultural life. McCarthyism sought to fight communism by rooting out disloyal government officials through hearings, investigations, and wire tapping them to find out if they had allegiance to the communist party. McCarthy came out in the 1950's with a list of 205 spies that changed every day, but he began to target spies that no longer worked for the government(Goldfield D, 2006). They are closely related, but McCarthyism accused too many innocent people such as teachers, the army, and was finally censured by the Senate for interfering with the rights of the citizens which the article on the censorship and the symbol of McCarthyism spoke on. The press manipulated the perspectives of the nation by either promoting McCarthyism when it came out or then devaluating it when it was found out, but it was influenced by politics. I have enclosed a list of articles from Pro Quest that prove these contentions. McCarthy manipulate the press by using press clips, TV news, and publicized Republican convention to attack General Marshal, the General of the Army and other prominent government officials(Goldfield D,2006). These televised hearings brought McCarthy's bullying interrogation into the American family room.
I will also like to describe the American foreign policy of Truman and Eisenhower. The American foreign policy decisions were impacted by anti-communism because it was the central impetus for all foreign policy decisions which was to prevent Communist Infiltration into the free world (HARRY SCHWARTZ.1952). The United States' policy was to contain Communism where it existed which was called the Truman Doctrine. The Marshall Plan was also another decision to support democratic countries where they were threatened by communism. Truman also had to confront the invasion of Korea by the communist and contain their influence. Because of this containment policy, the United States had to be careful not to hurt their allies in the UN or in the world as seen in article, "Inside the UN" (William R. Frye. Christian Science Monitor Sep 23, 1954). All these decisions were impacted by the anti-communist stance of the United States.
Finally, the impact of the Red Scare is the final question. The basic impact was that in the fight against Communism, it threatened the freedoms of the American citizens, because McCarthy crossed the line between government internal security and the freedom of privacy of the citizens. What are the tests of loyalty and how far can a government go in testing that loyalty? Schlesinger said that the Red Scare turned America into a police state, because it allowed government agencies to violate citizen's rights as well as questioning the value of the capitalistic system (Schlesinger, 1947). The Red Scare also impacted citizens in that it made the citizens fearful and paranoid about atomic bombs, nuclear war, and made Americans nativists, people who favored isolating America. There was an undercurrent of antisemitism and nativity, because many of the Communist Party members were Jewish. The Red Scare also made the world insecure and made many people conform because of fear of liberal ideas. The FBI and the then director J. Edgar Hoover came to complete power during this time by using the communist claim to obtain commanding power and information through any means the he deemed necessary. During these times anyone that opposed or did not agree with the government was labeled a radical or a communist, and these people were arrested or fled to underground living. Indeed times were more simple, but I also think it would be fair to say that people were too. references Newspaper Articles
The New York Times (May 24, 1953). M'Carthyism Held Danger to Nation, Lehman Tells A. D. A. Meeting 'Irresponsible Reactionaries' War on Free World's Unity.
America's Challenge; Have We Any Friends?
By the Editors of FORTUNE With Russell W. Davenport. The Washington Post (1923-1954). May 11, 1951. p. 21 (1 page)
Wolf! Wolf!,The Washington Post (1923-1954). May 22, 1950. p. 10 (1 page)
The Trouble With Being Anti. The Christian Science Monitor (1908-Current file). Jan 26, 1948. p. 18 (1 page)
State of the Nation Press Freedom and the Wechsler Case, Christian Science Monitor (1908-Current file). Aug 13, 1953. p. 1 (1 page)11.

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