Second Red Scare and McCarthyism (1 févr. 1947 – 16 nov 1957)

Description:

The Second Red Scare refers to a period of heightened anti-communist sentiment and political repression in the United States.

McCarthyism specifically refers to the tactics and practices associated with Senator Joseph McCarthy, who played a prominent role in the Second Red Scare. McCarthy, a Republican senator from Wisconsin, rose to national prominence in 1950 when he claimed to possess a list of communists working within the State Department. He used unsubstantiated allegations, fear-mongering, and intimidation tactics to accuse individuals of being communists or communist sympathizers without providing concrete evidence. Many individuals lost their jobs, reputations, and livelihoods simply due to suspicion or accusations of being communist sympathizers.