RED SCARE: ROLE OF MCCARTHY Flashcards
Who was Joseph McCarthy?
He became a Republican Senator for Wisconsin (1946)
What did McCarthy do to draw publicity towards him?
After the Hiss trial(FEB 1950) He made a speech claiming to have a list of 205 members of the CP
who worked for the US STATE DEPARTMENT.
What was the reaction to the supposed list of McCarthy?
The Tydings Committee(public request) was set up to investigate McCarthy’s claims but found the accusations to be A FAT LIE
What was McCarthy’s reaction to the finding of the Committee?
Called senator Tyding’s a communist sympathiser and UN-American
Why was McCarthy so successful?
He had accessed Americas greatest-est fears🔓 and his accusations gave ‘answers’ to why the Korean/US COLD WAR wasn’t going well for the US
What was Mccarthy’s new role?
Eisenhower made him CHAIRMAN OF THE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON OPERATIONS OF THE SENATE(CGCOS), he led investigations into various gov departments
Name a few of the methods used by Mccarthy
He held public hearings,
Used bullying and aggressive tactics to pressure ppl into confessionals,
Fabricated evidences against those who he accused
Who began to appose Mccarthy?
Democratic Senators and journalist who spoke out against McCarthy got accused of being communist of soft on it.
Name 4 reasons for McCarthy’s downfall
The extreme accusations against the army,
The army fighting back,
The televised McCarthy hearings,
(MEDIA) increase in anti-McCarthy articles+programmes
Explain what reason that started his downfall
He accused a POPULAR WAR GENERAL (GEORGE MARSHALL)
FOR= helping to spread the communist drive for world domination through the Marshall Plan/failing to prevent the communist victory in china.
(Opinion polls in 1953=McCarthy’s actions still popular among public)
Explain the 2nd MAIN REASON FOR MCCARTHY’S DOWNFALL
The ARMY-MCCARTHY hearings were televised and the public were shocked at his bullying tactics.
Explain 3rd MAIN REASON FOR MCCARTHY’S DOWNFALL
The army itself fought back..
FINDING evidence of McCarthy ABUSING his PRIVILEGES AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS
SENDING this to reporters who were know to be anti-McCarthy
Explain a forth MAIN REASON FOR MCCARTHY’S DOWNFALL
Increasing number of anti-McCarthy material by the MEDIA
ED MURROW/’SEE IT NOW’ EPISODE using McCarthy speeches and actions to criticise him
