Between the years 1917 and 1953 the Red Scares were in full swing. The Red Scares, named due the fact communist were sometimes also known as “Reds” because of the association with their red flag, started when communist, lead by Vladimir Lenin, seized Russia and vowed to conquer the world.

During this time, Soviet agents in Europe were to bring about the downfall of foreign nations in hopes that these countries would become communists. In August of 1919 the socialist party split and formed two communist parties, which recruited members (Zeinert 18). This worried Americans because they remembered that only a few communist were responsible for the downfall of Russia, and they felt their freedom was in jeopardy

At the same time, a senator from Wisconsin was looking for an issue to capture support and press attention since his hopes of re-election were in danger. Senator Joe McCarthy had previously failed to distinguish himself and went from one cause to another without much conviction. This all changed shortly after the 1949 Hiss and Fuchs investigations, where spies were believed to help the soviets produce the atom bomb by passing along, when he decided communism was the issue he was looking for (Winkler 32). In 1950 McCarthy gave a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia, which gained the attention he desired (Rovere 6). Shortly after, February 20, 1950, he took the senate floor where he claimed to give what was the text of his Wheeling Speech. In his speech there was some general talk about communism, but he also presented a list of two hundred five suspects, compiled by a former F.B.I. agent, by the name of Robert E. Lee. The House of Representatives ignored the list several years earlier when first introduced due to lack of evidence. Later on McCarthy’s original list of two hundred five suspects was reduced to fifty-seven, in part because one hundred eight “risks” had left the department. McCarthy then further reduced the number in 1950. In an attempt to keep his source a secret, which he falsely claimed had been produced at great risk, McCarthy switched the order of names. Needless to say, the senate was not impressed with Joe McCarthy. Especially since he exaggerated the information obtained from Lee, and his allegations were based purely on rumors. Senator Robert Taft’s regarded these actions as “a perfectly reckless performance” (Oshinsky 114). Despite the comment, the public was frightened by McCarthy’s accusations.

The threat ultimately ended in 1990 when leader Mikhail Gorbachev decided to give Soviet citizens free and open elections. Most voted for opponents of communism and the party finally lost its hold on the Soviet Union. Which ironically was not a result of McCarthy’s cunning efforts but by the Soviets efforts. (2,038 words)

Among the accused stood America’s political advisor to Chiang Kai-Shek, leader of China’s pre-communism government, named Owen Lattimore, which was said to be the “top espionage agent.” Senator McCarthy said Lattimore helped deliver China to the Communists, and claimed he had a secret witness along with a letter written by Lattimore to support his case. Yet, McCarthy wouldn’t let the letter be seen. Later on, the letter was obtained and found only to discuss events happening in China and did not prove Lattimore a Soviet agent. The witness, Louis Budenz, produced by McCarthy was also a joke. Budenz, a former high-ranking Communist official in America now helped the government identify Communist, yet all his information on Lattimore was hearsay. He couldn’t explain why he had never previously mentioned Lattimore to the government, or that he had ever seen Lattimore at a communist function. Even though in the Tydings committee report stated, “It is clearly apparent that the charges of Communist infiltration of and influence upon the State Department are false,” the publi

Some topics in this essay:
Louis Budenz, Vladimir Lenin, Fort McCarthy, House Representatives, Tydings Committee, Joe McCarthy’s, War II, Robert Taft’s, Robert Stevens, Joseph Stalin, war ii, world war, world war ii, soviet union, senator mccarthy, communists department, joe mccarthy, tydings committee, army robert stevens, labor unions, korean conflict, secretary army robert, 1950 mccarthy, list hundred five, hundred five suspects,