FREE ESSAY ON MCCARTHYISM

MCCARTHYISM

McCarthyism and its Effects on America McCarthyism not only destroyed
the lives and careers of many Americans but also the innocent image of the
country. Senator Joe McCarthy from Wisconsin was the same as any man.
But when he cried Communism the world seemed to listen. Following the
Cold War between Russia and the United States there came many hardships,
such as unemployment and high inflation. These hardships produced a restless
society. The society then looked for something or someone to blame (Fried,
39). They found someone to blame. Communists. Throughout the country
there was a witch hunt known as the Red Scare. A basic idea was formed:
Communism was evil. Anyone who participated in such evil was considered
illegitimate and were to be excluded from such things as sharing ideas, and
jobs (Reeves, 136). This fear of Communism or anti-Communism as it was
called could be described as a type of virus. When all was calm in America
the virus would fade, but the moment a crisis struck, the virus came back
stronger than ever (Feuerlicht, 35). Communism was a threat not only for
countries overseas but a threat for America and its people. It was a threat on
the American way of life, a bruise on the phrase the right to life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness. (Feuerlicht, 45) And McCarthy helped spread this
fear. McCarthy and his ways challenged the Bill of Rights. When free speech
or due process are denied to any individual everyone's rights are
jeopardized. Today's oppressors may become tomorrow's accursed group.
(Feuerlicht, 154) And nothing is guaranteed more than the destruction of
America when the freedoms promised by the Bill of Rights are denied
(Feuerlicht, 154). McCarthy installed a fear in the people. But people feared
tremendously the loss of their jobs. They feared that their political afflictions
would reflect on their job status (Reeves, 99). By trying to keep America
from becoming a Communist nation, McCarthy and his followers turned the
country into an anti - Communist nation. A country that thrived on freedom
and was kept in tact by laws would become a country that was moved by
fear alone. Laws would hold no meaning and innocent people would be
accused (Feuerlicht, 154). Communists were everywhere. But they were
hard to identify because Communism was a philosophy. There was no way a
person could provide supporting evidence that someone believed in
something (Feuerlicht, 154). According to McCarthy there were over 200
Communists in the State Department (Feuerlicht, 55). And some 57 cases of
people who fall into the category of card - carrying Communists, loyalist of
the Communist Party, or risks to the nation (Divine, 265). Despite the issue
of Communists in America there was a bigger issue, Communist spies.
Though the truth of the matter is that all countries spy and are spied on, even
America. The shock felt by the nation was not lessened (Feuerlicht, 54).
Communist spies were the worst kind because they were not the type that
stole plans for new weapons they worked from within. They were the people
helping us build our policy (Divine, 265). These Communist spies were also
hard to find because very few made it easy and confessed to being a spy.
One such a person was a German named Klaus Fuchs. He confessed to
spying for the Russians while he worked on the development of the atom
bomb (Fried, 120). Many Americans lives and careers were lost due to
McCarthy and his accusations. Hollywood's leaders resisted allowing
politicians to regulate their hiring practices, but following the HUAC hearings
the blacklists began in Hollywood. No one who was known to be a
communist would be employed (Fried, 77-78). Producers started questioning
their employees on many topics including politics and affiliations. In the case
that the employee's answers did not fit with the Waldorf Statement which
was that no known Communist would be hired, the employee was fired, or
let go (Fried, 78). With one exception anyone who confessed, and gave the
names of other Communists were spared (Garraty, 531). After the
blacklists, and the scare of Communism films started containing only
anti-Communist themes. Somewhere around forty of these anti-Communism
films were made. None of them being very popular or profitable (Fried, 78).
The blacklists continued in Hollywood while in the Government offices more
than 2,000,000 men and women were subject to loyalty investigations no
matter what their status was. The investigations were also required to be
done on any person who applied for a federal job (Feuerlicht, 47). Lists of
subversive organizations and groups were compiled. Its members weren't
even given a chance to defend themselves. If they belonged to one of the
groups listed, they were guilty of Sympathetic association and were fired
(Feuerlicht, 47). People even began to be punished for things they hadn't
even done. They were punished for what they might do (Feuerlicht, 47-48).
Soon almost everyone found their loyalty being questioned. Anyone who
liked Russian music, had ever read or owned a book on Communism,
especially those who stood up for equal rights of African Americans, and
those who stood for civil liberties for Communists (Feuerlicht, 48). Even
having a political opinion that was not popular gained you the treatment of a
criminal (Garraty, 531). No Part of Society was left untouched. Companies
like General Electric, General Motors, CBS, the New York Times, New
York City Board of Education, and the United Auto Workers followed
Hollywood's example and fired employees for being Communists. In fact
very few companies didn't fire people (Reeves, 99). Even the schools went
along with the dismissal procedures outlined by McCarthy, HUAC, and the
FBI. Anyone who did not fit their standards was fired (Reeves, 99). Quite a
few people ended up falling victim of these firings. And an estimated 20
percent of these fired people came from the educational system (Reeves, 99).
McCarthy was a fraud from the beginning. He never had anything to go on.
In fact the shakier his evidence got the bolder he became. (Feuerlicht, 57).
Although McCarthy didn't have a shred of evidence it didn't stop him from
making reckless accusations (Sawtelle,1). McCarthy didn't even know what
he said half the time in fact even he didn't know exactly what he said in the
speech at Wheeling but because accusations were beginning to take off,
McCarthy could think of no reason not to follow and take off with them
(Feuerlicht, 56). And as the public attention grew McCarthy made more
speeches condemning Communists ( Garraty, 531). McCarthy never showed
any evidence of his accusations. This was in part because he never had any.
There was no list of names and the numbers he came up with were the result
of good math skills (Feuerlicht, 55). And if anyone ever tried to catch him in a
lie he would accuse them of being a Communist sympathizer. (Sawtelle, 1)
Many things contributed to the fall of McCarthyism but probably the most
significant was the condemnation of McCarthy by the U.S. senate in 1954.
This condemnation ultimately led to the end of McCarthy's power over the
people and destroyed McCarthyism (Sawtelle, 2). Even after the fall of
McCarthy people and countries still spy on each other. Only now the spying
has passed the level it was at during the McCarthy years (Feuerlicht, 152).
The spying reached its peak when in 1967 it was ordered by president
Lyndon Johnson's administration officials for the Army to spy on civilians
who were involved in the antiwar, anti poverty, and civil rights movements
(Feuerlicht, 152). The government continued its snooping by putting wire
taps on telephones with no court approval. They strongly opposed anyone
who tried to put a stop to their snooping (Feuerlicht, 152). Even after
McCarthy was gone, the fear lingered. People feared a comeback. They
were afraid, afraid that behind each corner could be McCarthy (Feuerlicht,
139). Although McCarthy's attack on freedom was defeated the possibility
of future attacks could not be ignored (Sawtelle, 2). One of McCarthy's
victims was quoted saying that to write freedom into a law is not enough.
Unless freedom is practiced, it withers. It must be affirmed and reaffirmed in
every generation. But in McCarthy's case it was not (Sawtelle,2). Even the
consequences of his hate teachings were felt long after McCarthy's time.
They were still fresh in the mind of Lieutenant William Calley when he was
found guilty of Murder he was quoted saying that the Army taught him only
that the enemy was Communism. They didn't give it a race, they didn't give
it a sex, they didn't give it an age, sobbing. They never let me believe it was
just a philosophy in a man's head. (Feuerlicht, 153).  But Communism was
a philosophy, and like all philosophies it needs to be examined and
understood. Instead of declaring a holy war against the concept of
Communism, America might have defended freedom more successfully and
more honorably if she had declared war on the oppression and injustice that
make men Communists. Communism was indeed a philosophy but it was a
philosophy that controlled the American people for years. It left its menacing
mark on a society that was otherwise good. America may never fully recover
from Senator Joe McCarthy and his McCarthyism.