The Second Red Scare: A Historical Context
The Second Red Scare, also known as the McCarthy Era, was a period of intense anti-communist hysteria in the United States that lasted from approximately 1947 to 1957. During this time, the government and society were gripped by fear of communist infiltration and subversion, leading to widespread paranoia and persecution. But what war preceded the start of the Second Red Scare?
World War II: The Preceding War
World War II, which lasted from 1939 to 1945, played a significant role in laying the groundwork for the Second Red Scare. The war effort had brought the United States and the Soviet Union together as allies against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. However, as the war drew to a close, tensions began to rise between the two former allies.
The Potsdam Conference (1945)
The Potsdam Conference, held in July 1945, was a crucial turning point in the relations between the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union. The conference was marked by a growing sense of mistrust and competition between the two superpowers. The Soviet Union’s refusal to share information about its plans for Eastern Europe and the Red Army’s occupation of these countries created tensions with the Western Allies.
The Cold War Begins (1945-1947)
The end of World War II marked the beginning of the Cold War, a period of political, economic, and ideological competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union’s establishment of communist governments in Eastern Europe and its involvement in the Greek Civil War (1946-1949) further heightened tensions.
The Start of the Second Red Scare (1947)
The Second Red Scare began in 1947, with the announcement of the Truman Doctrine. This policy aimed to contain the spread of communism by providing economic and military aid to countries threatened by communist expansion. The doctrine was accompanied by a wave of anti-communist rhetoric and hysteria, which would continue to grow throughout the 1950s.
Key Events Leading Up to the Second Red Scare
Here are some key events that contributed to the build-up of anti-communist sentiment and the start of the Second Red Scare:
- The Molotov Plan (1947): The Soviet Union proposed a plan to establish a network of collective security agreements with Eastern European countries, which was seen as a threat to Western security.
- The Communist Takeover in Czechoslovakia (1948): The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia seized power, leading to widespread fears of communist expansion in Europe.
- The Berlin Blockade (1948-1949): The Soviet Union blocked Western access to Berlin, which was controlled by the United States, Great Britain, and France. This led to a massive airlift of supplies to the city and heightened tensions between the two superpowers.
- The Alger Hiss Spy Scandal (1948): The conviction of Alger Hiss, a former high-ranking government official, on charges of espionage for the Soviet Union, was seen as evidence of communist infiltration in the United States.
The Red Scare in the United States (1947-1957)
The Second Red Scare was characterized by a series of government investigations, Congressional hearings, and media campaigns aimed at exposing communist infiltration and subversion in the United States. Some of the key events and figures of the Red Scare include:
- The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC): A Congressional committee established in 1938 to investigate alleged communist activity in the United States.
- The Hollywood Blacklist: A list of individuals in the film industry who were accused of being communists or having ties to communism.
- Senator Joseph McCarthy: A Republican Senator from Wisconsin who became known for his accusations of communist infiltration in the government and society.
- The Army-McCarthy Hearings (1954): A series of Congressional hearings that exposed McCarthy’s reckless and unfounded accusations.
Conclusion
The Second Red Scare was a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that was rooted in the tensions and conflicts of the post-World War II era. The war that preceded the start of the Second Red Scare was World War II, which had brought the United States and the Soviet Union together as allies but also created the conditions for the Cold War and the Red Scare. The events and tensions that followed, including the Potsdam Conference, the Truman Doctrine, and the key events listed above, contributed to the build-up of anti-communist sentiment and the start of the Second Red Scare.
