Why was there a fear of Communism in post-war America? L/O - To examine the causes of growing anti-Communism in the USA and to evaluate the ideological differences between Capitalism and Communism

What was the ‘Red Scare’? In the early 1950s American society was swept up in a huge wave of anti-Communist paranoia and suspicion. Fuelled by the growing Cold War and by ambitious politicians like Senator Joe McCarthy, society existed in a climate of fear and hysteria where spying on each other was encouraged. The period became known as the ‘Red Scare’ and ‘McCarthyism’ became associated with Communist witch hunts. The impact on American culture was huge and helped define American attitudes towards Communism even till today.

The First Red Scare 1917+ The Red Scare of the 1950s was not new. The Russian Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 triggered a wave of anti-Communist hysteria in the USA. Due to a post-war economic depression, in 1919 American society faced huge turmoil as 1 in 5 workers went on strike. Fears of Communist influence grew. The media and groups like the Patriotic ‘American Legion’ whipped up public anxiety and the US government began to arrest, imprison and deport anyone suspected of being anarchists and communists.

The First Red Scare 1917+ Led by US Attorney General Mitchell Palmer, the government and the newly created Central Intelligence Division, began to raid trade union HQs, public meetings and private homes. Over 6,000 suspected ‘aliens’ were arrested. The effect on public perceptions were huge. Xenophobia against foreigners and foreign ideas increased. Immigrant groups were targeted unfairly, anti- immigration legislation was passed and many states passed laws restricting free speech against any left-wing groups advocating for social change.

How did a 2nd Red Scare form? Fears of Communism subsided during WW2 (1939-1945) as the USA and USSR became Allies to fight Fascist Germany and Japan. However success in the war left both nations as the biggest superpowers in the world. Disagreements over the division of post-War Europe and Asia led to growing mistrust and fears. By 1947 it was clear that both sides considered each other as rivals. A growing number of Communist revolutions and the development of the USSR’s 1st Atomic Bomb in 1949 led to wild paranoia within American society.

What were the causes of the Red Scare? The causes of the growing fears of Communism can be categorised as follows. Research these causes and try to rank them in order of importance: Ideological Differences – Political/Economic/Ideological Disagreements during the War – Nazi-Soviet Pact, 2nd Front Arguments over the division of Europe – Yalta, Poland, Democracy Fears of Soviet Expansionism – Satellite States, COMINFORM, Czechoslovakia 1948, Truman Doc, Iron Curtain The Nuclear Arms Race – Truman & Potsdam, Spying, USSR Global Nature of Communist Threat – China, Korea, Vietnam