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America had experienced what was called the Red Scare in the 1920s. The fear of communism again came to the forefront of US politics and society after World War Two. Communism was seen as the opposite of America’s values of capitalism and democracy. The communist states that developed in this period were run by dictators and their economies were directed by their governments to create classless societies. Many Americans feared that communism was a threat to their way of life.

In this context, Senator Joseph McCarthy led a ruthless anti-communist campaign against suspected communists in America.

A second Red Scare

The conflicting ideologies of the Soviet Union (communist) and the USA (capitalist) eventually saw their wartime alliance develop into the Cold War. The 1947 Truman Doctrine pledged that US foreign policy would be committed to containment: stopping the spread of communism around the world. Then, in October 1949, civil war in China came to an end when its leader, Chairman Mao Zedong, announced the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The country became a communist nation. In the same year, the Soviet Union began testing its own nuclear weapons.

These international developments added to the increasing concern that communists were infiltrating America - and, even more alarmingly, that government agencies were key targets. In March 1947, the government of President Harry S Truman introduced a new loyalty programme and security checks within the federal government. These meant that even a "sympathetic association" with an un-American organisation could lead to someone losing their job. No communist spies were uncovered, but hundreds of federal government workers were fired for being deemed 'security risks'. Critics saw this as an infringement of civil liberties, whereas defenders said these measures were important to protect America’s security.

The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

Alger Hiss, a former US State Department official, was exposed as a Soviet spy by Whittaker Chambers, a self-confessed former communist. Hiss was convicted and imprisoned in 1950. Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were also accused of spying and were executed in 1953.

The rise of McCarthy

With paranoia growing, Republican senator Joseph McCarthy, from Wisconsin, became a key figure in the anti-communist campaign. During a speech in February 1950, he claimed that he had a list of over 200 "known communists" operating in the US State Department.

McCarthy’s methods of finding communist spies were often seen as immoral and undemocratic. He publicly accused influential people of being communists or communist sympathisers with little or no evidence. He aggressively tried to intimidate those he accused by attacking their personal character and questioned their loyalty to America.

However, these tactics gave him power, publicity and popularity. People who spoke out against him ran the risk of being accused of being communists and blacklisted. Even Dwight D Eisenhower, who became president in 1953, was reluctant to directly criticise McCarthy.

This communist witch hunt therefore became known as ‘M���䲹���ٳ�⾱����’. The term also refers to outlandish, sensationalist, unproven accusations of communist sympathy and connections.

The fall of McCarthy

McCarthy's actions, which were seen by many people as reckless, were finally confronted when he boldly claimed the US army was "soft" on communism.

• As part of an extended congressional investigation in 1954, hearings into the army were televised.
• The broadcast of the hearings allowed the extent of McCarthy's accusations to be revealed to millions of Americans.
• Following the public reaction to McCarthy's statements and behaviour, the Sentate voted in a majority to censure McCarthy.
• His influence declined rapidly until his death in May 1957.