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Red Scare

The term "Red Scare" has been retroactively applied to two distinct periods of strong anti-Communism Anti-communism

Anti-communism is an ideology of opposition to communist [i] organization, government and ideo ... 

 in United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 history: first from 1917 to 1920, and second from the late 1940s through the mid-1950s. These periods were characterized by heightened suspicion of communists, the fear of widespread infiltration of communists Communism

Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a future classless [i], stateless [i] ... 

 in U.S. government Federal government of the United States

The government [i] of the United States of America [i], established by the U.S. Constitution [i] ... 

 and the fear of communist infiltration into U.S. government and society. Both periods occurred during times of war and national upheaval. The 'First Red Scare First Red Scare

In American history, the First Red Scare was the period of 1917-1920 that was marked by a widespread fea... 

' began during World War I World War I

World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War and "The War to End All War... 

 in which the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 fought from 1917-1918.

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Timeline

1947   Red Scare: The United States House of Representatives United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers [i] of the United States Congress [i] ... 

 votes 346 to 17 to approve citations of contempt of U.S. Congress United States Congress

The United States Congress is the legislature [i] of the United States federal government [i]. ... 

 against the so-called Hollywood 10 Hollywood blacklist

The Hollywood blacklistmore properly the entertainment industry blacklist, into which it expandedw... 

 after the 10 had refused to co-operate with the House Un-American Activities Committee House Un-American Activities Committee

House Committee on Un-American Activities was an investigative committee [i] of the United States House of Representatives [i] ... 

 concerning allegations of Communist Communism

Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a future classless [i], stateless [i] ... 

 influence in the movie Film

Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general.... 

 industry, (the 10 were blacklisted by Hollywood Hollywood, Los Angeles, California

Hollywood is a district [i] in Los Angeles, California [i], U.S.A. [i], situated west-nort ... 

 movie studios the next day).

1949   Red Scare: Such celebrities as Helen Keller Helen Keller

Helen Adams Keller was a deafblind [i] American [i] author [i], activist [i] and lecturer [i] ... 

, Dorothy Parker Dorothy Parker

Dorothy Parker was an American [i] writer [i] and poet [i], best known for her caustic wit [i] ... 

, Danny Kaye Danny Kaye

[i], [[singer]... 

, Fredric March, John Garfield John Garfield

[i] ... 

, Paul Muni Paul Muni

Paul Muni was an Academy Award [i]-winning versatile actor [i] from the Golden Age of Hollywood [i] ... 

 and Edward G. Robinson Edward G. Robinson

Edward Goldenberg Robinson was an American [i] stage and film [i] actor [i], of Romanian [i] ... 

 are named in an FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is a federal criminal investigative [i], intelligenc ... 

 report as Communist Party members.

1950   Red scare: In his speech to the Republican Women's Club at the McClure Hotel in Wheeling, West Virginia Wheeling, West Virginia

Wheeling is a city in West Virginia [i], in the United States [i]. ... 

, Senator United States Senate

he United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the Congress of the United States [i], the other b ... 

 Joseph McCarthy Joseph McCarthy

Joseph Raymond McCarthy was a Republican [i] Senator [i] from th ... 

 accuses the United States Department of State United States Department of State

The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet [i] ... 

 of being filled with 205 Communists Communism

Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a future classless [i], stateless [i] ... 

.

1951   Red Scare: Ethel and Julius Rosenberg Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

Julius Rosenberg and Ethel Greenglass Rosenberg were American [i] Communists [i] ... 

 are convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage. On April 5 they are sentenced to receive the death penalty Capital punishment

Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is the execution [i] of a convicted criminal by the ... 

.

1954   Red Scare: The United States Senate United States Senate

he United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the Congress of the United States [i], the other b ... 

 votes 67 to 22 to condemn Joseph McCarthy Joseph McCarthy

Joseph Raymond McCarthy was a Republican [i] Senator [i] from th ... 

 for "conduct that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute."



Encyclopedia


The term "Red Scare" has been retroactively applied to two distinct periods of strong anti-Communism Anti-communism

Anti-communism is an ideology of opposition to communist [i] organization, government and ideo ... 

 in United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 history: first from 1917 to 1920, and second from the late 1940s through the mid-1950s.

These periods were characterized by heightened suspicion of communists, the fear of widespread infiltration of communists Communism

Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a future classless [i], stateless [i] ... 

 in U.S. government Federal government of the United States

The government [i] of the United States of America [i], established by the U.S. Constitution [i]... 

 and the fear of communist infiltration into U.S. government and society. Both periods occurred during times of war and national upheaval. The 'First Red Scare First Red Scare

In American history, the First Red Scare was the period of 1917-1920 that was marked by a widespread fea... 

' began during World War I World War I

World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War and "The War to End All War... 

 in which the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 fought from 1917-1918. This first 'Red Scare' took place amid a widespread campaign of violence by various anarchist Anarchism

Anarchism is the name of a political philosophy [i] or a group of doctrines and attitudes that are cente ... 

 groups and aggressive labor unions who were inspired by the Bolshevik revolution in Russia Russian Revolution of 1917

The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a series of political events in Russia [i], which, after the eliminat ... 

 and the ensuing Russian Civil War Russian Civil War

The Russian Civil War was fought from 1917 to 1922.... 

 . The 'Second Red Scare' coincided with increased fears of espionage by communists such as Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

Julius Rosenberg and Ethel Greenglass Rosenberg were American [i] Communists [i] ... 

 and heightened tension from the Soviet blockade of Berlin Berlin Blockade

[i] of the new [[Cold War]... 

 , Chinese communist revolution Chinese Civil War


The Chinese Civil War was a conflict in China [i] between the Kuomintang [i] and the Communist Party of China [i] ... 

, the civil war in Vietnam Vietnam

Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a country in Southeast Asia [i]. ... 

 and the war against communist forces in Korea Korean War

The Korean War began on June 25 [i], 1950 [i] and ended with a truce [i] on July 27 [i], 1953 [i] . ... 

 .

These fears spurred aggressive investigation and jailing or deportation of persons associated with communist and socialist Socialism

Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic [i]... 

 ideology or political movements. The Constitutional United States Constitution

The United States Constitution is the supreme law [i] of the United States of America [i]. ... 

 right to free association in America makes it difficult to legally convict a citizen for simply belonging to a subversive Subversion

Subversion is an open source [i] application used for revision control [i]. ... 

 group, or groups and individuals who sympathize with these groups, and the secretive nature of the most violent and militant anarchist groups made them difficult to infiltrate.

In response, the Espionage Act was extended with the passing of the Sedition Act in 1918. The latter law made it illegal to speak out against the U.S. government Federal government of the United States

The government [i] of the United States of America [i], established by the U.S. Constitution [i]... 

 as well as giving the Postmaster General power to deny mail of citizens suspected of being dissenters . While United States Congress later repealed the Sedition Act in 1921, major parts of the Espionage Act remain codified in law.

First Red Scare 1919-22


The Second Red Scare

During the late 1920s through the 1930s, anti-communism in the U.S. died down, especially after the informal Big 3 alliance formed between the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and the United States during World War II World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

. As soon as the war ended, however, another Red Scare began in the McCarthy McCarthyism

McCarthyism is the term describing a period of intense anti-Communist [i] suspicion in the United States [i] ... 

 era from 1948 to the mid-1950s.

Causes

During the late 1940s, several news events caught the public attention, including the trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

Julius Rosenberg and Ethel Greenglass Rosenberg were American [i] Communists [i] ... 

 for espionage ; the Iron Curtain Iron Curtain

The "Iron Curtain" is a term coined by Joseph Goebbels [i], and made famous by Winston Churchill [i], wh ... 

 in Eastern Europe; the acquisition of an atomic bomb Nuclear weapon

A nuclear weapon derives its destructive force from nuclear reaction [i]s of fission [i] ... 

 by the Soviet Union and the discovery that atomic bomb secrets had been passed to Moscow by Soviet spies; the Communist revolution in China, the beginning of the Korean War Korean War

The Korean War began on June 25 [i], 1950 [i] and ended with a truce [i] on July 27 [i], 1953 [i] . ... 

, and most importantly, the announcement of Soviet espionage networks in the United States . Events such as these had a noticeable effect on the opinions of Americans in general regarding their own security, and gave rise to the very specific fear centered on American communism and the fear of a nuclear attack by the Soviet Union. The revelations by Elizabeth Bentley Elizabeth Bentley

Elizabeth Terrill Bentley was an American [i] former spy [i] for the Soviet Union [i] who ... 

 and Whittaker Chambers Whittaker Chambers

Jay Vivian Chambers was an American writer, editor, Communist [i] party-member-turned-defector, best kno ... 

 that Soviet spies and Communist sympathizers had been successful in penetrating U.S. government agencies and obtaining information added to the mood of the era.

In support of their cause, anti-communists cited the growing evidence of active Soviet and Communist infiltration of the United States government, as well as the policies of the Soviet Union and China as evidence of communism's destructiveness, namely the many millions killed in the Soviet gulag Gulag

Gulag is an acronym for ??????? ?????????? ????????????????????? ??????? ? ???????... 

s, the Stalin Joseph Stalin

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin , alternatively transliterated Josef Stalin, was the de facto [i] ... 

 era purges, the deportation of over one million Poles Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country located in Central Europe [i]. ... 

 to Soviet labor camps in Siberia Siberia

Siberia is a vast region of Russia [i] constituting almost all of Northern Asia [i]. ... 

, and the killing of hundreds of thousands in China. This was in addition to the fact that the Soviet Union had rapidly and forcefully spread its influence into Eastern Europe Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is the east [i]ern region [i] of Europe [i] variably defined. ... 

 following the Second World War World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

. It is also possible that some of the evidence from the VENONA Project Venona project

The Venona project was a long-running and highly secret collaboration between United States [i] intelligence agencies [i] ... 

 linking prominent politicians, artists, and celebrities to Soviet NKVD NKVD

The NKVD or People's Commisariat [i] for Internal Affairs was a government department [i] ... 

 intelligence was leaked to the press or to anti-communist politicians, despite official classification of the project.

Reactions

For the period leading up to World War II World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

, being a Communist in the U.S. was legal. At the height of American Communism's popularity in 1939, the party had 100,000 U.S. members. However, with the revelations of the Communist Party USA Communist Party USA

The Communist Party of the United States of America is a Marxist-Leninist [i] political party [i] ... 

's secret apparatus and use of selected Party members for espionage activities, Congress passed the Smith Act, which made membership in subversive organizations a crime. In 1947, Harry S Truman Harry S. Truman

Harry S. [i] Truman was the thirty-third President of the United States [i]; as ... 

 created the Federal Employees Loyalty Program. The program created review boards to investigate federal employees and terminate them if there were doubts as to their loyalty. The House Committee on Un-American Activities House Un-American Activities Committee

House Committee on Un-American Activities was an investigative committee [i] of the United States House of Representatives [i] ... 

 and the committees of Senator Joseph McCarthy Joseph McCarthy

Joseph Raymond McCarthy was a Republican [i] Senator [i] from th ... 

 heard testimony from Soviet spies Elizabeth Bentley Elizabeth Bentley

Elizabeth Terrill Bentley was an American [i] former spy [i] for the Soviet Union [i] who ... 

 and Whittaker Chambers Whittaker Chambers

Jay Vivian Chambers was an American writer, editor, Communist [i] party-member-turned-defector, best kno ... 

, and began investigations of related Soviet spy rings. They also began investigating American Communists and their role in espionage, propaganda, and subversive activities, real and imagined. Propaganda Propaganda

Propaganda is a specific type of message [i] presentation directly aimed at influencing the opinion [i]s ... 

 films like Red Nightmare were made by studios anxious to cooperate with authorities.

There were also effects on America's way of life as a result of the Red Scare and the nuclear arms race Nuclear arms race

The nuclear arms race was a competition for supremacy in nuclear weapons [i] between the United States [i] ... 

, which contributed to the popularization of fallout shelter Fallout shelter

A fallout shelter is a shelter specially designed to protect its occupants from the radioactive debris, ... 

s in home construction and regular duck and cover Duck and cover

Duck and Cover was a method of personal protection against the effects of a nuclear detonation [i] ... 

 drills at schools. The Red Scare is also cited as one factor that contributed to the rise and popularity of science fiction Science fiction

Science fiction is a popular genre of fiction in which the narrative world differs from our own present... 

 films during the 1950s and beyond. Many thrillers and science fiction movies of the period used a theme of a sinister, inhuman enemy that was planning to infiltrate society and destroy the American way of life. Even a sports team was affected by the red scare. The Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Cincinnati, Ohio [i].... 

 changed their team name to the "Redlegs" to avoid the association of "Reds" and Communism.

See also

  • Cold War Cold War

    The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical [i], ideological [i], and economic [i]... 

  • Elizabeth Bentley Elizabeth Bentley

    Elizabeth Terrill Bentley was an American [i] former spy [i] for the Soviet Union [i] who ... 

  • Louis F. Budenz
  • Luigi Galleani Luigi Galleani

    Luigi Galleani was a major 20th century anarchist [i] and enthusiastic advocate of the violent overthrow ... 

  • Green Scare
  • History of Soviet espionage in the United States
  • Hollywood blacklist Hollywood blacklist

    The Hollywood blacklistmore properly the entertainment industry blacklist, into which it expandedw... 

  • House Committee on Un-American Activities House Un-American Activities Committee

    House Committee on Un-American Activities was an investigative committee [i] of the United States House of Representatives [i] ... 

  • Immigration Act of 1924 Immigration Act of 1924

    The Immigration Act of 1924, also known as the National Origins Act or the Johnson-Reed Act,... 

  • Industrial Workers of the World Industrial Workers of the World

    The Industrial Workers of the World is an international union [i] currently headquartered i ... 

  • McCarthyism McCarthyism

    McCarthyism is the term describing a period of intense anti-Communist [i] suspicion in the United States [i] ... 

  • Milo Radulovich
  • Subversive Activities Control Board
  • VENONA project Venona project

    The Venona project was a long-running and highly secret collaboration between United States [i] intelligence agencies [i] ... 

     and List of Americans in the Venona papers
  • Whittaker Chambers Whittaker Chambers

    Jay Vivian Chambers was an American writer, editor, Communist [i] party-member-turned-defector, best kno ... 

  • Allies of World War II Allies of World War II

    The Allies [i] of World War II [i] were the countries officially opposed to the Axis Powers [i] during t ... 



Contemporary accounts 1945 - 1955

  • Allen, Raymond B. President, University of Washington. Educational Forum. Vol. 13 # 4. May 1949.


  • Halsey, Jazzes. . Delivered at the Opening Convocation of the College Year, University of Bridgeport, September 25, 1951. Republished in Vital Speeches. November 1, 1951 . Retrieved April 13, 2005.

References

  • . A curriculum project for Washington schools developed by The Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest by Michael Reese, University of Washington University of Washington

    "The University of Washington" redirects here.... 

    , Department of History. Retrieved April 13, 2005.