Red Scare

     The Red Scare of 1945 would be the second Red Scare to occur.  Right after World War II, America would become paranoid of once and ally now turned foe, the Soviet Union and Communism.  The Cold War would arise, a clash between the two superpowers in a race to create better and deadly weaponry, out class each other, and prove to be better than the other.  Thus the Red Scare in America would have many American’s in fear of a possible end to Democracy and that the communist and Soviet Union on U.S. were spies trading insider secrets with the Soviets.  People were accused unjustly and in a way it would be like the Salem Witch Trials.

     The HUAC (House of Un-American Activities Committee) would join the anti-communism crusade to search America for communist and expose them to the public.  Harry Truman would issue a Loyalty Order, which would mandate that federal employee’s were loyal to the U.S. government.  Year’s later, around 1963; we would still continue to see some trace of the Red Scare after Kennedy was assassinated. Media and textbooks often mention that Lee Harvey Oswald was a possible Soviet who was sent to kill Kennedy or simple stating that Oswald was a Marxist.  

     American’s found themselves paranoid not just because of the actions that the law and anti-communist were taking, but because there were multiple events of communist bloom which would be exaggerated out by Media and anti-communist.  Some examples were the communist control of China, the Soviet nuclear bomb, the Korean War and years later the Vietnam War.  The increasing spread of Communism among the East would have American’s believed that the Red’s were getting to strong and could take over America one day.

     The Red Scare would approach the point that politicians would go along with it.  They would set themselves up as though they were fierce anti-communist, ready to fight for Democracy to win favor of the people.  The first amendment was said to have not applied to communist because they represented a threat to the government. Those who question the lawfulness of the anti-communist actions would be shunned as a communist sympathizer and could even be fired from jobs.    Thus few dared to challenge these groups and the growing influence anti-communist groups would have on the people would expand. 

     The Red Scare was not the first time American’s would accuse other unjustly.  The Salem Witch Trials were one example of this.  The people who usually accused others of being witches were mostly young women and the caused, usually married women.  It is often speculated that these younger women accused others in jealously or to snatch husbands from married women.  In the Red Scare the Americans, could be considered the young women and the witches were usually innocent people. 

      It was not until the late 1950s before, American paranoia would falter and quiet down however deep down, it would continue to influence the mind set of the American people to believe that the Soviets and Communism could still possible come to end America’s reign as the worlds greatest superpower.  Until today, we still see movies which continue to support that the communist were the sole enemies of the U.S.