Second Red Scare

Definition

The Second Red Scare refers to the intense fear of communism and the perceived threat of communist subversion in the United States during the late 1940s and 1950s. This period was marked by heightened anti-communist sentiment, which was fueled by the Cold War and led to widespread suspicion, government investigations, and the persecution of individuals deemed to have communist ties or sympathies.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Second Red Scare was significantly influenced by events such as the Soviet Union's successful detonation of an atomic bomb in 1949 and the onset of the Korean War in 1950.
2. During this period, thousands of individuals were investigated for communist affiliations, resulting in blacklisting in various industries, particularly in Hollywood.
3. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), under Director J. Edgar Hoover, played a crucial role in hunting down suspected communists, often using controversial methods.
4. The fear of espionage led to cases such as the trial and execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg in 1953 for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the Soviets.
5. The Second Red Scare fostered a culture of fear and suspicion, leading to violations of civil liberties and a chilling effect on political dissent across the nation.

Review Questions

• How did the events of the late 1940s contribute to the emergence of the Second Red Scare?
  • The late 1940s saw significant events that stoked fears of communism, including the Soviet Union's successful testing of an atomic bomb in 1949 and the start of the Korean War in 1950. These events heightened anxiety about national security and led Americans to view communism as a direct threat. As a result, this fear manifested in widespread investigations into alleged communist activities within the United States.
• Discuss how McCarthyism exemplified the impact of the Second Red Scare on American society during this period.
  • McCarthyism epitomized the extreme measures taken during the Second Red Scare, as Senator Joseph McCarthy spearheaded efforts to expose supposed communists within government and society. His aggressive tactics included public hearings that often relied on flimsy evidence or innuendo. This created a climate where individuals were afraid to express dissenting opinions for fear of being accused or persecuted, highlighting how deeply the scare affected American civil liberties.
• Evaluate the long-term consequences of the Second Red Scare on American political culture and civil liberties.
  • The Second Red Scare left lasting effects on American political culture, creating a legacy of suspicion toward perceived leftist ideologies that would resonate for decades. The aggressive anti-communist measures established precedents for government surveillance and repression of dissent that continued throughout the Cold War. Furthermore, it set a troubling standard for how fears can lead to violations of civil liberties, as seen with loyalty oaths and blacklisting practices that marginalized countless individuals based on their political beliefs.

Related terms

McCarthyism:

A campaign led by Senator Joseph McCarthy that aimed to identify and eliminate alleged communists within the U.S. government and other sectors of society, often through aggressive questioning and accusations.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC):

A committee of the U.S. House of Representatives established to investigate disloyalty and subversive activities, which became infamous for its hearings targeting Hollywood figures and other individuals suspected of communist affiliations.

Loyalty Oaths: Oaths required by the government from employees and certain organizations to affirm their loyalty to the United States, often used as a tool to screen out potential communists.