McCarthyism: The Modern American Witchhunt

McCarthyism: The Modern American Witchhunt

"Have you no sense of decency sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of

decency?"

-Joseph Welch, lawyer for the Secretary of the Army

Introduction

By the time Republican Senator Joseph R. McCarthy gave his first speech in which he accused 205 members of President Harry Truman's democratic government of being communist on Feb. 9, 1950 there was already a lingering anti-Communist attitude in the United States. Which is why his speech, given in West Virginia, far from Washington DC, and from his home 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 place in American history.

McCarthyism: a word synonymous with lying, government cover-ups and abuse, and the private 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 McCarthy's vehemence would bring his own 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 more.

How it was done

Governmental structures, local and federal, set up various 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 city that they were, furthering the panic of the "red scare."

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 1950's. Nearly all public employees were forced through these boards, although most went through swiftly without trouble. These boards were not able to imprison people, 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 embarrassment that could be detrimental in the ultra- patriotic 1950's they would often hire people who were ultra-patriotic to weed out the communist, or suspected communists in their corporations.