McCarthyism: The Modern American Witchhunt :: Essays Papers

McCarthyism The Modern American Witchhunt deliver you no sense of decency sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency? -Joseph Welch, lawyer for the Secretary of the ArmyIntroductionBy the time Re humankindan Senator Joseph R. McCarthy gave his first linguistic communication in which he incriminate 205 members of President Harry Trumans democratic government of being communist on Feb. 9, 1950 there was already a lingering anti-Communist attitude in the coupled States. Which is why his speech, given in West Virginia, far from Washington DC, and from his inhabitation state of Wisconsin, made such an impact. Most of what he said has been forgotten, the speech was never recorded, but what he started with that speech would win him and his actions a topographic point in American history. McCarthyism a word synonymous with lying, government cover-ups and abuse, and the surreptitious war of one man against what he saw as a threat to the American way of life. Countless lives would be ruined by his crusade. , those of government officials and private citizens alike. When it was all over McCarthys vehemence would bring his give downfall. MaCarthy and his followers caused panic and fear of communism in those who were ordinary citizens. For those who were targeted and accused, however, McCarthy and his followers did much much. How it was done Governmental structures, local and federal, set up miscellaneous un- American activites committees. These committees were set up solely to find and prosecute communists, or suspected communists. They drew the attention of the American public in every(prenominal) city that they were, furthering the panic of the red s caution. They set up inquisitions to take care of their targets. Loyalty review boards were set up by President Truman in 1947, and were used quite frequently in the 1950s. Nearly all public employees were forced through these boards, although most went through swiftly without tr ouble. These boards were not open to imprison battalion, but they were able to take their jobs from them. Private industries were often more harsh on their employees suspected of being communist. To avoid public disturbance that could be detrimental in the ultra- patriotic 1950s they would often hire people who were ultra-patriotic to weed out the communist, or suspected communists in their corporations.