"Red Scare"
A. American Fears -- Paranoia about communism and its sympathizers began to set in due to:
1. Communism at home: fear of spies infiltrating U.S. gov’t: Alger Hiss, Rosenbergs
2. Fear of nuclear war: Soviet A-bomb in 1949; fear of H-bomb in 1953, sputnik in 1957
3. Spread of communism around the world (E. Europe, fall of China in 1949, Korea)
4. Demagogue politicians using fear for gain (HUAC, McCarthy)
5. Fear of another depression (recessions in 1946-47 and early ‘50s triggered concerns) -- A depression might trigger growth of communism
6. Note: this was the 2nd red scare of 20th century (first occurred after WWI: 1919-1920 during Wilson's presidency.)
7. Culture reflected these fears: movies such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Blob, They
B.
Share with your friends: |
