What is this cartoon suggesting? Where has this idea come from?

Political fears Fear of Revolution: The Red Scare

Today we will: Understand the impact of the red scare on changing attitudes to immigrants.

Introduction Immigrants found themselves to be under attack for political reasons. The USA feared a revolution may occur, driven by immigrants. This was the Red Scare

Background In 1919, there was a wave of labour strikes and violence in the USA, which caused great alarm. The Russian Revolution had occurred in 1917, when the Bolsheviks, for the first time established a Communist state committed to spreading revolution against capitalism. Many Americans were afraid that the wave of strikes and violence in the USA (called the ‘Red Scare’ of 1919) were caused by immigrants from Eastern Europe and Russia, who wanted to provoke a similar revolution in the USA, and destroy capitalism. K

What happened? Local Police Departments and the Federal Justice Department harassed those who supported socialist or communist ideas, and politicians were warned of the ‘Red Menace.’ K An example of this is the Palmer Raids. August 1919.

This division spied on Communists and others considered dangerous. He thought he would find these radicals in the immigrant community. Fears of revolution may have come to nothing “had it not been for the actions of a lunatic fringe.” (Tindall and Shi). April 1919 the post office intercepted nearly 40 bombs addressed to prominent citizens. The house of America’s Attorney General, A. Mitchell Palmer, was blown up. Palmer said the bombing was the work of a radical element and pledged to purge it through the Palmer Raids. Set up the General Intelligence Division within the Department of Justice, run by his assistant J. Edgar Hoover. K K Chief lawyer of the USA – decides if crimes should be prosecuted. This division spied on Communists and others considered dangerous.

The Palmer Raids January 1920. Raids on Communists in 33 US cities. 6000 ‘foreign radicals’ arrested, jailed without trial in filthy conditions, beaten up and forced to sign confessions. 600 people were deported. This reinforced public fears of revolution. ‘Reds under the bed’, theory emerged – an obsession of Communists everywhere plotting revolution. BUT the communist threat was exaggerated. Many of those arrested had to be released as there was a lack of evidence. People lost faith in Palmer after he warned of a May Day demonstration, organised troops and police but the riot did not happen. The hysteria over the Red Scare passed almost as suddenly as it began. K

Conclusions A The Communist threat was exaggerated – most immigrants were too preoccupied with adjusting to their new environment to consider subversive political activity of any kind. Although historians use it as a reason why attitudes to immigration changed in the 1920s. “The Red Scare at the end of World War One led to a wave of…immigration restriction.” (Tindall and Shi).

Make into a structured paragraph Higher Line of Argument Knowledge Argument Counter argument The Russian Revolution in 1917, lead to a fear of Russian immigrants and what they might do in America. ‘Reds under the bed’, 600 people were deported. April 1919 the post office intercepted nearly 40 bombs addressed to prominent citizens. People lost faith in Palmer after he warned of a May Day demonstration, organised troops and police but the riot did not happen. 33 US cities.