...How important was fear of communism in explaining why President Hindenburg invited Hitler to become Chancellor in 1933? Intro Communism was a political idea which was beginning to become popular in Germany. However it was very much disliked as communist were seen as unruly because of street battles with police. People feared the way the USSR discriminated against the middle class and in the process of becoming communist countries had taken land away from farmers and many peasants had been killed or imprisioned. Hitler was appointed chancellor on the 30th January 1933 and this was partly to do with the publics fear of communism however it was not the most important factor. One way the fear of communism explained why Hindenburg invited Hitler to become chancellor was pressure from big businesses. Originally Hindenburg had not wanted to appoint Hitler as chancellor, he feared he would dismantle democracy and as a former leader of the imperial german army Hindenburg strngly disliked the S.A. However he was getting older and struggling to keep the republic together. The army favored Hitler to protect the state from communism and the former president of the reichsbank, Hjalmar Schacht, made it known that the business and finical world saw Hitler as the ‘lesser of two evils’. This put huge pressure on Hindenburg to pick Hitler as chancellor because he needed the support of the army and business world. Along with the army and business world, support for Hitler in the public was...
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...Australia’s fear for communism was in 2 forms: fear of communism spreading to Australia and fear of its emergence from within Australian society. During the 1950s and 1960s events such as the Korean and Malayan Emergency, the Petrov Affair and the Vietnam War all contributed and spurred on this nation-wide fear. Two theories also developed in this time: the domino theory and the concept of forward defence. After WW2 people doubted that the subsequent peace and security would not last, it was a period of fear and tension. WW2 had justified Australia’s long-standing fear for its vast Asian neighbours, especially Japan. So when the revolutionary communism dominated China in October 1949, propagandas changed their target, portraying communism as a disease; Australia’s original fear of invasion by its Asian neighbours changed to fear of communism. The phrase ‘reds under the beds’ originated in this period, meaning that there were people that saw communists everywhere. Australia under the Menzies government ardently sought to expose communism within Australia. Menzies tried to pass the Communist Party Dissolution Bill in 1950 and was determined even after its rejection to ban the Party. He pushed for a referendum in September 1951 but that was also unsuccessful. There were many alleged communist plots, but in April 1954 came the most notable one of all: the Petrov Affair. The Petrov Affair was basically the exposure of the third secretary of the Soviet Embassy in Canberra...
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...that war-torn countries should have a right to determine their means of rebuilding, while the USSR looked to expand their spheres of influence by making more countries communist. As a result of different ideologies and plans, the countries began to mistrust one another. Americans began to fear that communism would spread throughout weak...
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...society in the years 1950-54. This can be seen through the knock on effects it had on the people in America, as the fear of communism was rising as McCarthyism triggered a panic all across America during this period. The USA was already feeling very vulnerable after War as they feared communism would spread just the way It did in China, thus McCarthyism was significant as many Americans were scared that their society would come under the influence of communism. However, many historians argue that the impact John McCarthy was only short term as soon; the Red Scare was falling apart as everyone was being accused of being a communist. McCarthy influenced many Americans through radio and press and caused many Americans to panic from Communism. He raised the awareness of the impact that communism could have on American society and how it could change the American way of life, and during this period many Americans did not want any significant change as the economy was booming and prosperity was flourishing all over America, which was a major change. Therefore, people had a reason to fear Communism as Americans were living a better and more affluent life and they did not want their privileges to be taken away from them. McCarthy took advantage of this and manipulated the press, and released as many accusations as possible in order to decrease the spreading of Communism. He also used radio, to suggest who he thought was a communist; anyone who he saw to be left winged or radical was...
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...During the Cold War, the majority of Americans had a view of communism that depicted it to be nothing but evil; however, for the millions of people who had revolted against their former government, it was the only way forwards. The situation that developed in Korea during this time was a very accurate description of this. The people of North Korea were pushed down enough that they revolted against their government and formed a communist state while American simply viewed this as another country that had begun the process of falling to communism. The Korean War greatly enhanced the fear and hatred that the United States and the nations that had converted to communism felt for each other. The Korean War, although primarily only fought by the US, North and South Korea, Russia, and China, would have many political consequences around the world that...
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...There were many reasons that contributed to Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War. These consisted of a fear of communism, the need to support the USA and other allies and the views of Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies. While none of these had a great enough influence themselves, the combination of multiple factors were what brought about Australia’s association with the Vietnam War. The most prominent reason for Australian involvement in the Vietnam War was the country’s fear of communism. This was most clearly demonstrated through the use of effective and persuasive propaganda that depicted communism as a disease, or leaders such as Stalin as a spider with a web capturing the countries falling prey to communism. This government propaganda was helpful in gaining support for the war by the Australian public who learned to fear communism themselves. Australia was also opposed to the idea of the country falling to communism because of what it would bring. It would mean totalitarian rule, in which the country would come under the rule of a dictator, freedom of assembly, media and speech would be revoked and censored and the social classes would be obliterated. This would mean people were no longer able to work for their money or own a business, which consequently could bring about uprisings and protests as people struggle to grasp their new ways of equality. The increase in rules and regulations would come as a rude shock to the Australian public who had lived in a democratic...
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...The Cold War of the Mid-19th century brought about an irrational blanket of angst and hysteria that enveloped the majority of America. The Land of Liberty feared that the American Dream and Democracy would succumb to the uniformity of Communism and conformity. Hollywood filmmakers frequently illustrated these concerns through their works, one such production being the 1950’s film Invasion of the Body Snatchers. This film clearly illustrates the threat that communism posed in 1950’s Cold War America, while also exploiting McCarthyism as a form of conformity in itself. This multi faced film portrays its themes through the invasion of the pod-people, and the insanity that ensues. The film’s director, Don Siegel, instills the idea that the invasion...
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...1947 marks the year the Cold War began, it brought on fears to the American people shortly after the Second World War, One was the concept of communism possibly spreading through Europe and eventually reaching America. Another fear that arose was of a nuclear war and the atomic bomb being in the hands of the Soviet Union. Also the people of America were afraid of being accused of being a communist or supporting communism. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his administration did not address the fears of the American people in virtuous way. They did almost nothing to calm the hysteria going on during this time. The Soviet Union was spreading communism throughout all of Asia and Eastern Europe. This caused much panic as country after country...
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...WWII was a major historical event that shaped the United States and struck fear into its citizens. Soon following the end of WWII a new fear of the unknown began to develop within Americans which caused nationwide anxiety and panic. Many believed communism might be the next threat to challenge the United States. The growing sentiments of Senator Joseph McCarthy lead out to protect America’s freedom from communism, although his sweeping lash stripped freedoms from many of his fellow citizens. Strange as it may seem, in this period of American history both communism and McCarthyism threatened America; fear fueled the fire to a Red Scare glow before its flame would dwindle and smolder. In order to better understand these events, a more detailed look into history is needed to explain how this controversy and cultural phenomenon came to be. Understanding the Differences Is there a difference between anti-communism and McCarthyism? Despite the common belief that these two terms have the same meaning, there are indeed fundamental differences. Anti-communism can be understood as a set of beliefs, social values, or political opinions that a communist form of government is unacceptable and wrong. McCarthyism, on the other hand, was suspicious and it unfairly accused American citizens of being a communist. Lead by and named affectionately after Senator Joseph McCarthy, McCarthyism and its accusations violated American civil rights, destroyed reputations, caused employers to "blacklist"...
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...marked as a period of mass fear of Communism. American fears of internal communist infiltration reached Its highest point since the First Red Scare of the 1920-30s. Government organizations investigated millions of americans, “asking what books and magazines they read, what unions and civic organizations they belonged to, and whether they went to church” (Gilder Lehrman). This time period was also marked by the major shift and blacklisting of celebrities primarily in show business. One of the people who took full advantage of the mass hysteria was Senator Joseph McCarthy from Wisconsin. McCarthy began his crusade by giving a speech at the Women’s Republican Club of Wheeling, in West Virginia, where he stated that he had a list of over 220 confirmed communists living in the US. The numbers of this statement dropped over the years as people began to watch him more closely. However this didn’t stop him from rising to more power, after the Republicans regained a majority in the senate, McCarthy took control of a subcommittee, and performed investigations on government agencies. Other Cold War “activists” consisted of Minnesota Senator Hubert Humphrey, union leader Walter Reuther, men who spoke out against McCarthy's tactics, but still agreed with a lot of his core beliefs. While this led to a divergence of tactics between activists, it still led to a growth in Anti-Communist sentiments through “Public Education” films and propaganda to increase the fear in the people of the new...
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...the spread of communism, the U.S defeat was to produce nothing of the kind: apart from the fact that Cambodia and Laos became embroiled, the effects were essentially confined to Vietnam”. This quote embodies the reason for the involvement in the war and also the end result. Communism was the number one factor for entering the war in Vietnam and containment was the policy. In the end, Vietnam fell to communism and the United States failed at their goal. Communism was the main reason for the initial involvement in the war that escalated into a full scale conflict; leading the United States to learn some valuable lessons. The era in which the war took place was one plagued with the fear of communism. The foreign policy known as containment was used to as a justification to intervene in numerous foreign conflicts. This policy is centered around the idea of containing communism to its borders and not...
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...Doctrine | Contemporary History | | An overview and comparative analysis of two decisive American foreign policy doctrines breed from fear that impacted the world. | Fear and the reaction to it has been a driving force throughout human evolution, it has helped shape both our physical and social development. Fear and the reaction to it in politics, has helped create and shape everything from our borders and languages, to our technology and religion. At its very best it serves as a common uniting factor that all people share. At its worst it has lead to some of our greatest wars. The Truman and Bush Doctrines are two such policy sets rooted in fears that helped shape the world we know today. On the 12th of March 1947, then President Harry S. Truman addressed a joint session of Congress requesting $400 million in military funding and other foreign aid to support the struggling nations of Turkey and Greece. Truman implored Congress to act quickly to provide aid and support to both nations. Truman described the current state of affairs in Greece as an environment of “political chaos” and that its internal security and very survival were threatened by “terrorist activities of several thousand armed men, led by Communists…” (Truman, 1947) In this speech lay the foundation for the resulting Cold War, and idea that the spread of Communism should be halted and contained. With further analysis of this same speech one can also locate early indication of how America would emerge...
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...drawn in to the conflict in Vietnam. Eisenhower was immediately put under pressure not to lose Vietnam to communism in the same way that Truman was perceived to have lost China before him - the American fear of a communist conspiracy was a major factor in the country’s continual support for the containment of it in Asia, regardless of the costs. Other factors that lead to an increase in American involvement in South East Asia included their support of the French in Indo-China until 1954, their response to the Geneva Accords 1954 and the formation of SEATO also in 1954. Arguably the most important reason for the US becoming increasingly involved in South-East Asia during the ‘50s was the perceived threat that communism posed. There was a widespread fear in America that there was a global threat of communism, which would destroy capitalist American values, being orchestrated from Moscow. This fear was worsened by the 12 year long conflict in Malaya between Britain and communist forces which started in 1948. This anti-communist sentiment was collated into the “Domino Theory” which suggested if one nation fell to communism, others would follow – Vice President Nixon visited Vietnam in 1953 and announced in a national TV broadcast upon his return that “If Indo-China goes under communist domination the whole of South East Asia will be threatened”, thus confirming the public’s fears and compelling greater US involvement in South East Asia in order to prevent this from happening. ...
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...the real problem and monolithic view of communism was a real threat to America during the Cold War up until the 1990s. As the relationship between American and the USSR had intensified through 1940-50s, the panic and mass hysteria in reaction to the perceived threat of communism inversion of American values and its branches of government had lead to a series of actions that would influence America both politically and socially. It could be suggested that the growing hysteria from the public and the government towards communism has upraised due to threats caused by the USSR, as it may impact America’s ideology. The idea of the ‘domino theory’ suggested by Eisenhower states that as one state is influenced by Communism, countries surrounding it may as well be impacted thus become a communist state. In 1949, the USSR had successfully produced a nuclear bomb made people in the US confirm the fear of having traitors at the heart of the government. The loss of China had also created a negative impact on the reaction of the United States, thus make people believe the ‘domino theory’. The majority blamed the loss of China was due to weak-minded individuals by right-wing press and the so-called China lobby. Other incidents happen to support the domino theory, such as the Korean War, which encouraged U.S to put military power into South Korea to oppose an invasion of communism by the North. The invasion seem to let America realize that if communism is not effectively pressed down, their...
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...Anti-Communism and McCarthyism Stacie Clifton HIS/145 April 29, 2011 Mike Breakey Anti-Communism and McCarthyism When it comes to “anti-communism”, many Americans confuse the difference between it, and McCarthyism. Anti-Communism is a set of beliefs, social values, or political opinions that communism or a party system of government in which the government holds all power, including the economy, is not acceptable. McCarthyism is the practice of publicizing accusations of political disloyalty or subversion with the insufficient regard to evidence with the use of unfair investigatory methods to suppress opposition. After WWI, America entered into one of the most frightening and stressful times we have ever had. America entered into a frenzied hysteria, mostly caused by radical groups, European immigrants, and the American communist party, around 1919. The communist movement, as it would be known, appeared to threaten our freedom, and our will to live as Americans. Although it was mostly something you just “heard” about, it wasn’t until a Senator, named Joe McCarthy, stepped onto the world stage, pointing fingers at certain people, and accusing them in very harsh public speaking’s, and hearings. His tactic was to find communist supporters here in America and expose them. In a sense, he started a failed crusade, mostly fueled by fear, which in the end would be seen as a modern day “witch-hunt”. His stand and his actions would later be called what we know as “McCarthyism”...
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