McCarthyism, an anti-communist movement led by Senator Joseph McCarthy, surged in the 1950s Cold War era, fueled by fears of Soviet espionage and the spread of communism. It profoundly affected American culture and politics, leading to widespread fear, suspicion, and the undermining of civil liberties. The movement's decline began with the Army-McCarthy hearings and Senator McCarthy's eventual censure.
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The Cold War was characterized by a battle of ideologies between the United States and the Soviet Union
McCarthyism
McCarthyism, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy, was a period of intense anti-communist sentiment in the United States
Red Scare
The Red Scare was a widespread fear of communist infiltration in American society
The Soviet Union's atomic bomb, the establishment of a communist government in China, and the Korean War all contributed to the heightened fear of communism in the United States
Senator McCarthy gained influence by claiming to possess a list of communists within the State Department
House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
The HUAC played a central role in investigating alleged communist activities, leading to the blacklisting of many in the entertainment industry
Aggressive and unsubstantiated inquiries
Senator McCarthy's aggressive tactics and disregard for due process contributed to a culture of fear and suspicion in American society
McCarthy's downfall was precipitated by his reckless accusations and public exposure of his tactics, leading to his censure by the Senate and decline in influence
00
After ______, a state of high tension known as the ______ emerged between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
World War II
Cold War
01
The era of the ______ in the U.S. was marked by a widespread fear of ______, a phenomenon often called the ______.
Cold War
communism
Red Scare
02
______ is the term used to describe the aggressive anti-communist movement in the U.S., named after ______.
McCarthyism
Senator Joseph McCarthy
