Causes and Effects of the Red Scare

Causes

Effects

-          1st red scare in 1917 due to the Bolshevik revolution – wanted a world revolution.

-          McCarthy claimed to have a long list of communists at the wheeling speech, started the frenzied searching

-          Kennan telegram / NSC68 – valid concerns

-          Churchill’s iron curtain speech

-          Stalin’s salami tactics

-          Truman Doctrine and Marshall aid was needed to fight communism

-          Berlin Blockade

-          USSR detonated an atomic bomb in 1949

-          Korean War – “domino theory” of communism by Eisenhower

-          The Chinese revolution – raising fears that were communist sympathisers in the government encouraging coalition government (which became communist)

-          Eisenhower didn’t stand up for Marshall after McCarthy blamed him for being communist.

-          Many of the communist leaders of Russia were Jewish – led to the belief that all Jews were communist.

-          The Blind memoranda dismissed 9500 civil servants, 15000 resigned and 600 teacher lost their job

-          Lack of public health services (i.e. Vaccination, mental health services, and national health insurance)

-          Setback for Feminist, Civil and Gay rights as they’re all linked to communism

-          Hatred on atheism as it is seen as communist

-          Increase on the military - industrial complex - meant that they were more involved in helping other countries however, less money was spent on other issues

-          Increased creativity - more music was written “Thirteen Women” - Bill Haley

-          Movies and books used to brainwash the general public “Animal Farm“ - George Orwell

-          McCarran Internal Security Act of 1950

-          Immigration and Nationality Act

-          CIA - Covert Operations “Radio Free Europe” and “Operation MKUltra”

-         The Responsibilities program which created the National Lawyers Guild

Quotes

“McCarthyism is Americanism with its sleeves rolls” – McCarthy

“McCarthyism … is the use of the big lie and the unfounded accusation against any citizen in the name of American security” – Truman

Instruments of McCarthyism

Executive:

  • FBI (led by Edgar Hoover) —> Domestic Counter espionage

  • CIA (led by Wisher) —> international espionage

Congress:

  • HUAC (led by Nixon) —> House of Un-American Activities Committee (“Are you or have you ever been a member of the communist party”)

  • PSI (led by McCarthy) —> Permanent Sub-committee of Investigation

 

YES

NO

CAUSES

Based on Lies?

Domestically

-          McCarthy’s claimed to have a long list of communists at the wheeling speech

-          Entirety of the wheeling speech

-          All the HUAC accusations, Charlie Chaplin, Marshall

-          Using the red scare for their personal ambitions à Disney and workers’ rights was communist

Domestically

-          Kennan Telegram / NSC68

-          Eisenhower not standing up for Marshall

-          Manhattan project was leaked

-          A lot of people that McCarthy accused wasn’t based on lies, Dalton Trumbo, David Greenglass (passing secrets about the atomic bomb), the Rosenburg’s

-          Truman Doctrine and Marshall Aid

Diplomatically

-          Demonisation of the communist – Mao wants to throw out of foreign influence, Poland a question of honour and security (friendly government) and was the Korean war simply a quest to restore unity in one country.

Diplomatically

-          Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech

-          Stalin’s Salami Tactics

-          Berlin Blockade

-          USSR detonated the atom bomb in 1949

-          Korean war – “domino theory” of communism by Eisenhower

-          Chinese revolution

RESULTS

Only Negative effects?

Domestically

-          Blind memoranda

-          Lack of public services

-          Setback for feminist, gay, and civil rights movement

-          Hatred of atheism, atheist seen as communist

-          Brainwashing teenagers, and terrifying children.

Domestically

-          Increasing the strength of the military – industrial complex

Better state of readiness against

-          Sense of national unity

-          Creative increase – music / film

-          Creating ties and long term investments with companies such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin

Diplomatically

-          Increased military allowed aid to more countries (32 wars since 1960)

-          Supported capitalist leaders, simply for their political stance, not for their desired outcomes

-          Cannot empathise with communist, this inability links to the Vietnamese and Cuba (only put missiles in Cuba because Truman put missiles in Turkey)

Diplomatically

-          Strengthens international ties

-          Justifying NC68