Dali Wei
Instructor: Alejandra Leos
For ENGL-1007
10 February 2024
Introduction of McCarthyism.
Curators Note:
McCarthyism was a widely anticipated event in American politics and social life in the early 1950s. Named after Senator Joseph McCarthy who participated in it, this is an anti communist movement. The core of McCarthyism is to investigate and accuse individuals suspected of communist activities within the United States and government agencies, and through a series of hearings, attempt to expose the infiltration of communism in the government and cultural fields. This movement has led to many people losing their jobs, creating a panic atmosphere in society where those who are suspected are often stigmatized and unable to defend themselves. However, McCarthyism has also been widely criticized for its abuse of power and lack of evidence. In later years, this movement was seen as a serious threat to freedom of speech and political dissent, and had a profound impact on American society. Today, McCarthyism is still considered a dark period in American history, reminding people to reflect on the abuse of power and society's tolerance for dissent.
Preface:
McCarthyism refers to the typical anti communist and far right representatives in the United States who originated from Senator McCarthy between 1950 and 1954. It maliciously slandered and persecuted suspected communists, democratic progressives, and even anyone with different political views.
From the early 1950s when McCarthyism began to spread, to the five years before and after its complete failure by the end of 1954, its influence spread to all aspects of the United States. McCarthyism, as a proprietary term, has also become synonymous with political persecution. In that era, it sparked anti communist and xenophobic movements represented by McCarthyism, involving various aspects of American politics, education, and culture, and its influence is still visible.
Historical reasons:
After the end of World War II, the shadow of war had not yet disappeared in the United States, and the terrifying atmosphere of the Cold War followed one after another. On the one hand, the United States is confronting the Soviet Union internationally, and on the other hand, it is afraid of the rise of communism domestically. At the same time, due to the sharp rise in domestic inflation in the United States, 34700 strikes occurred in just one year, with over 4.5 million workers taking to the streets. The Non American Committee of the House took the opportunity to accuse the workers' union and vigorously incite the public to oppose communism and the Communist Party.
Early stage:
On November 14, 1908, Joseph McCarthy was born into a small farmer family in northern Wisconsin. In 1939, McCarthy falsely declared his age and ran for the position of judge in the Seventh District Circuit Court of Wisconsin, becoming the youngest judge in the history of the district. From then on, McCarthy began a political career full of deception and lies. In 1946, McCarthy, who had retired from the military, ran for senator and was elected as a senator from Wisconsin in November of that year. During his first four years in the Senate, his reputation plummeted due to misconduct, gambling, and alcoholism.
February 9, 1950 was the birthday anniversary of the 16th President of the United States, Lincoln, and McCarthy decided to fire shells at the State Department on this day. Under the arrangement of the Republican National Committee, he flew from Washington to Virginia and gave a speech titled "Communist Party in the State Department" at the Republican Women's Club, claiming that he had a list of 205 people in his hands, all of whom were members of the Communist Party and spy networks. The Secretary of State knows that these people on the list are all Communist Party members, but they are still drafting and formulating policies for the State Council. McCarthy's speech was like a bolt from the blue, causing a sensation throughout the United States. McCarthy, who had previously walked on thin ice, became a political star that shook the country overnight.
High tide:
During the most rampant period of McCarthyism, key departments such as the US State Department, Department of Defense, important defense factories, Voice of America, and the US government printing office were unable to escape the investigation of McCarthy's Non American Activities Investigation Committee. At the same time, the left-wing power of the United States has also been hit unprecedentedly. In 1953 alone, McCarthy's committee held over 600 investigative activities, as well as 17 public hearings broadcasted live on television. Over time, McCarthy's activities have increasingly sparked public opposition. In Europe, people directly compare McCarthy to Hitler.
Ending:
At the Army McCarthy Hearing in 1954, McCarthy encountered his Waterloo. The American cable television network conducted a live broadcast of this series of influential hearings. When the Army Department exposed McCarthy's various overstepping of authority and illegal activities, uncovering the dark curtain of McCarthy's investigation activities, McCarthy resorted to his usual tactics of gossip and sensationalism, and deliberately interfered with the hearing and investigation in front of the national television audience, abusing Senate proceedings. On December 1, 1954, amidst a wave of condemnation from all walks of life across the country, the United States Senate passed a resolution to impeach McCarthy and condemn him. On May 2, 1957, McCarthy died of acute hepatitis at Bethesda Naval Hospital at the age of 48.
The impact caused:
During the most rampant period of McCarthyism, China US relations were frozen under the cold ice of the Cold War. Under the influence of McCarthyism, "anti communism" became the mainstream choice in the United States. McCarthy's provocation on the China issue has led several US administrations, including Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson, to adopt a very rigid East Asian policy, and no one dared to proactively propose contact with the People's Republic of China. McCarthyism represents a broad political alliance of conservative and xenophobic groups throughout American society, and no one can escape their attacks. Even academic circles that believe in academic freedom find it difficult to resist the influence of McCarthyism.
