Question

Why was there such strong popular support for McCarthy's anticommunist crusade in the early 1950s? Would you have supported his goals and tactics? Why or why not?

Answer 1

McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of subversion without proper regard for evidence.it originated in the period in United States & was known as the Second Red Scare, lasting from the late 1940s through the 1950^s&characterized by heightened political repression as well as an alleged campaign spreading fear of Communist influence on American institutions and of espionage by Soviet agents.

During the McCarthy era, hundreds of Americans were accused of being communists & became the subject of aggressive investigations &questioning before government or private industry panels, committees & agencies. The primary targets of such suspicions were government employees, those in the entertainment industry, educators & labor union activists. Suspicions were often given credence despite questionable evidence, & the level of threat posed by a person's real or supposed leftist associations or beliefs was sometimes exaggerated. Many people suffered loss of employment or destruction of their careers; some even suffered imprisonment. Most of these punishments came about through trial verdicts later overturned, laws that were later declared unconstitutional, dismissals for reasons later declared illegal or actionable, or extra-legal procedures that would come into general disrepute.

   Popular support :McCarthyism was supported by a variety of groups, including the American Legion & various other anti-communist organizations. The main element of support was a variety of militantly anti-communist women's groups such as the American Public Relations Forum and the Minute Women of the U.S.A.. These organized tens of thousands of housewives into study groups, letter-writing networks, & patriotic clubs that coordinated efforts to identify & eradicate what they saw as subversion.

McCarthyism, was not alone. A broad "coalition of the aggrieved" found McCarthyism attractive, or at least politically useful. Common themes uniting the coalition were opposition to internationalism, particularly the United Nations; opposition to social welfare provisions, particularly the various programs established by the

One of the main focus that gave popularity. McCarthyism concerned the provision of public health services, Mainly vaccination, mental health care services and fluoridation, all of which were denounced by some to be communist plots to poison or brainwash the American people. Such viewpoints led to collisions between McCarthyite radicals& supporters of public health programs, most notably in the case of the Alaska Mental Health Bill controversy of 1956.

Many ordinary Americans became convinced that there must be "no smoke without fire" and lent their support to McCarthyism.

Goals :Senator McCarthy spent five years trying in vain to expose communists & other left-wing “loyalty risks” in the U.S. government. In the hyper-suspicious atmosphere of the Cold War, insinuations of disloyalty were enough to convince many Americans that their government was packed with traitors and spies.

Mc Carthy's tactics :McCarthy identified suspected communists through a variety of channels. Some members of organizations with reported communist sympathies. Some were associates of known communists, & homosexuality was also an apparent cause of suspicion. However all of them were identified, McCarthy took aim at his targets with great tenacity.

Once McCarthy's claims, gained national attention, he became chairman of the Senate Committee on Government Operations. This increased level of power afforded to him & the opportunity to investigate the people he suspected of being communists Hundreds of witnesses were brought before the Senate committee, in both public and private hearings. . Transcripts of the Senate hearings, confirm what the American public eventually realized about McCarthy's interview tactics. He used severe intimidation, & often gave the threat of prison, when trying to get information -- and he often had little or no solid evidence on which to base his claims. The names of many witnesses & suspects were released publicly, resulting in defamation of character & guilt by association. Careers & reputations were irreversibly damaged. when all was said & done, there were no convictions for subversion.