The Red Scare Enforcers
After WWII, with communism sprouting up all over the world, the US government, and it citizens become gripped by a self affirming, nationally unifying, fear of communism, called the second "Red Scare". It was driven by the Committee on Un-American Activities, and characterized by duck and cover drills in elementary schools, bomb shelter construction, and witch hunts for spies embedded in government institutions. Furthermore, it motivated many to build bomb shelters, distrust their neighbors and worry that their Judeo -Christian way of life was coming to an end. While American's fears were not unfounded they were overstated.
Hollywood became the focus of many of these overzealous investigations, and many were jailed for refusing to testify. While little was discovered in Hollywood, the government did convict both Alger Hiss, president of the …show more content…
As fears of communists working in the government accelerate, congress passes the McCarran International Security Act, which makes it unlawful to do anything that might assist the " establishment of a totalitarian dictatorship ". Furthermore, it mandates that communist organizations register with the attorney general, and bands from entry immigrants who have a history of communist affiliation. Worst of all, it provides a pathway to internment should future needs be. Although Truman vetoes this act out of concern that the bill calls for thought control, his veto is overridden.
In the end, the Red Scare provided a political club for Truman's foes, leaves the federal government with a crop of new spy organizations, the NSC, the CIA, and the NSA, and helps to fuel the growth of a very wealthy and powerful military-Industrial complex. Worst of all, is the oppressive effect of discouraging independent and creative
After WWII, with communism sprouting up all over the world, the US government, and it citizens become gripped by a self affirming, nationally unifying, fear of communism, called the second "Red Scare". It was driven by the Committee on Un-American Activities, and characterized by duck and cover drills in elementary schools, bomb shelter construction, and witch hunts for spies embedded in government institutions. Furthermore, it motivated many to build bomb shelters, distrust their neighbors and worry that their Judeo -Christian way of life was coming to an end. While American's fears were not unfounded they were overstated.
Hollywood became the focus of many of these overzealous investigations, and many were jailed for refusing to testify. While little was discovered in Hollywood, the government did convict both Alger Hiss, president of the …show more content…
As fears of communists working in the government accelerate, congress passes the McCarran International Security Act, which makes it unlawful to do anything that might assist the " establishment of a totalitarian dictatorship ". Furthermore, it mandates that communist organizations register with the attorney general, and bands from entry immigrants who have a history of communist affiliation. Worst of all, it provides a pathway to internment should future needs be. Although Truman vetoes this act out of concern that the bill calls for thought control, his veto is overridden.
In the end, the Red Scare provided a political club for Truman's foes, leaves the federal government with a crop of new spy organizations, the NSC, the CIA, and the NSA, and helps to fuel the growth of a very wealthy and powerful military-Industrial complex. Worst of all, is the oppressive effect of discouraging independent and creative