McCarthyism: A Threat to America
"I have, here in my hand, a list of 205 names that were known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who, nevertheless, are still working and shaping policy in the State Department." --Joseph McCarthy
While the fifties may seem like a good chapter in American history, it's much darker than that. And one of the bleakest chapters of the fifties all started in a Republican women's club meeting in Wheeling, West Virginia. Although the skeleton of the Red Scare to follow was laid several years earlier. After the end of World War II, the Cold War began. When it was discovered that Klaus Fuchs, a respected German scientist who worked on the Los Alamos Project, was revealed to have passed nuclear secrets to the Russians, a mass panic gripped the country. This hysteria would result in the deaths of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, and the rise of Joseph McCarthy.
"My choice early in life was either to be a piano-player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference." --Harry Truman
In 1946, Joseph McCarthy was elected to represent Wisconsin in the Senate by lying about his war record, and smearing primary and general election opposition. His political boat was leaky at best, and McCarthy was desperately trying to find the issue to draw attention away from his blatant corruption. He found it when he was fed some obsolete documents about investigations into the State Department to find communists. The so-called "communist penetration" was a big lie fabricated by a desperate man. It should have ended his career. But it didn't work out that way.
"Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country." --Herman Göring, 1946, founder of the Gestapo and head of the Luftwaffe
At the time, America was willing to be decieved. They were willing to believe that red was everywhere. And the press was right along with them. Joseph McCarthy became, to Americans, a "noble crusader against communism." The truth could not be more different. In reality, McCarthy's witch-hunt ruined thousands of lives. While it is true that some communists, like Alger Hiss, were exposed by McCarthyism, the vast majority of those interrogated by McCarthy and the powerful House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) were innocent. Also, it does not help his credibility that he trampled over and mocked our civil liberties. But McCarthy's stampede would not last.
"Have you no sense of decency sir? At long last, have you no sense of decency?" --Joseph Welch, 1954
In 1954, McCarthy took up a fight he could not win-against the army. He challenged the army to remove "communists" from their high up ranks. At first, he once again captivated the public imagination. But this time, his crusade faltered. McCarthy had stepped onto Ike's turf. And the army and President Eisenhower were fighting back. ABC, who needed to fill their afternoon slots, broadcasted the Army-McCarthy Hearings. For the first time, people were able to see McCarthy in action firsthand. They saw a bully, and a charlatan. His public support folded. Though the hearings ended inconclusively, the Senate smelled blood and voted to condemn and remove McCarthy from his post.
For some reason, many, like the notoriously right-wing Ann Coulter, look upon McCarthy as a hero. Such a view is misguided and dead wrong. McCarthy proved, beyond all reasonable doubt, that the worst move we could do in fighting the Soviets is to act just like them.
By Jehan
While the fifties may seem like a good chapter in American history, it's much darker than that. And one of the bleakest chapters of the fifties all started in a Republican women's club meeting in Wheeling, West Virginia. Although the skeleton of the Red Scare to follow was laid several years earlier. After the end of World War II, the Cold War began. When it was discovered that Klaus Fuchs, a respected German scientist who worked on the Los Alamos Project, was revealed to have passed nuclear secrets to the Russians, a mass panic gripped the country. This hysteria would result in the deaths of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, and the rise of Joseph McCarthy.
"My choice early in life was either to be a piano-player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference." --Harry Truman
In 1946, Joseph McCarthy was elected to represent Wisconsin in the Senate by lying about his war record, and smearing primary and general election opposition. His political boat was leaky at best, and McCarthy was desperately trying to find the issue to draw attention away from his blatant corruption. He found it when he was fed some obsolete documents about investigations into the State Department to find communists. The so-called "communist penetration" was a big lie fabricated by a desperate man. It should have ended his career. But it didn't work out that way.
"Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country." --Herman Göring, 1946, founder of the Gestapo and head of the Luftwaffe
At the time, America was willing to be decieved. They were willing to believe that red was everywhere. And the press was right along with them. Joseph McCarthy became, to Americans, a "noble crusader against communism." The truth could not be more different. In reality, McCarthy's witch-hunt ruined thousands of lives. While it is true that some communists, like Alger Hiss, were exposed by McCarthyism, the vast majority of those interrogated by McCarthy and the powerful House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) were innocent. Also, it does not help his credibility that he trampled over and mocked our civil liberties. But McCarthy's stampede would not last.
"Have you no sense of decency sir? At long last, have you no sense of decency?" --Joseph Welch, 1954
In 1954, McCarthy took up a fight he could not win-against the army. He challenged the army to remove "communists" from their high up ranks. At first, he once again captivated the public imagination. But this time, his crusade faltered. McCarthy had stepped onto Ike's turf. And the army and President Eisenhower were fighting back. ABC, who needed to fill their afternoon slots, broadcasted the Army-McCarthy Hearings. For the first time, people were able to see McCarthy in action firsthand. They saw a bully, and a charlatan. His public support folded. Though the hearings ended inconclusively, the Senate smelled blood and voted to condemn and remove McCarthy from his post.
For some reason, many, like the notoriously right-wing Ann Coulter, look upon McCarthy as a hero. Such a view is misguided and dead wrong. McCarthy proved, beyond all reasonable doubt, that the worst move we could do in fighting the Soviets is to act just like them.
By Jehan
posted by PCF's Libertarians at 7:21 PM
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