In the 1950's, Senator Joe McCarthy headed the Congressional Committee on Un-American Activities. This was, in effect, a modern day witch hunt for alleged communists (Reds). People were ruthlessly persecuted, harassed and had their careers taken away from them by baseless claims of communist activity. They were prodded to implicate their friends, much the same way as people were encouraged to name names during the Salem Witch Trials.
red scare
Saying that he had a list of Communists employed by the State Department
The Red Scare.
People in the 1950s were genuinely afraid that the Communists could take over the United States and that fear led to people accepting Joseph McCarthy's witch-hunt for "Communists" in the US government and popular culture as a method of protecting the US and its values.
There were about 300 people that were accused by Joseph McCarthy as either being Communist or sympathizing with Communism. When the lists were made public, all of these individuals were illegally blacklisted. This means that they were fired from their jobs, shunned, and were unable to find other work. Some people were given the opportunity to clear their name in a long, drawn-out process. Very few people actually cleared their name this way. Most people were just forced to suffer through the blacklisting. McCarthy's accusations irreparably damaged many careers. The reputations and livelihoods of hundreds of people were ruined.
It Has Not Ended
In Plilibelpia!
The State Department had been infiltrated by Communists. The Red Scare. Joseph McCarthy was responsible for the anti-American trials of several prominent American citizens he believed were subversive communists.
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McCarthy's charges of communist spies in the State Department started what has been called the McCarthy Witch Hunt in February of 1950.
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Joseph McCarthy
McCarthy.
Joseph McCarthy
Leading the Red Scare.
It was 1949.