Although the 1950s is often labeled as an era of prosperity in most textbooks, it was anything but a decade of satisfied jubilation. The armistice of the second World War left much unresolved, especially when it came to the United States’ relationship with the rapidly ascending Soviet Union. The two superpowers had been divided by ideological tensions since the late 1930s, with the United States being a capitalist nation and the Soviet Union being communist, but with Germany no longer being a world factor, the apprehension was higher than ever. Consequently, Americans became extraordinarily vigilant about preventing the rise of communist influence domestically that would threaten their way of life. However, this paranoia would lead many to …show more content…
It was was a part of people’s everyday life and consequently was often featured in different forms of media. This immense fear of the spread of communism that was prevalent throughout the United States in the 1950s is clearly symbolized in Don Siegel's “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” The literal alienation of the threat of communism in film became one of the ways in which Hollywood producers got around the repercussions they would face by directly portraying such fears, which lead to a surplus of fantastical features throughout the decade. Additionally, the portrayal of communists as being monsters or aliens reinforced the prevalent beliefs of American Exceptionalism across the nation, and in turn appealed to the majority of the public. However, this had severe repercussions on the severity of the communist threat, and escalated it to unprecedented
In the 1950s the rumor of communism in the U.S. spread so quickly and people everywhere were developing unfounded fears. Mass hysteria took over the U.S. with worrying of communism. In the 1950s children were paid to spy on their teachers and teachers were paid to spy on their students. This show how far the paranoia went. If people in society would have taken the time to rationalize and figure out another way to handle these insane situations, less damage could have been done.
In the 1950’s, America just came out of World War 2. The economy was prosperous, many soldiers were creating families, and communism was a widespread fear for Americans. The Red Scare was the fear of the threat of communism arising in America. The Federal government took many measures to make sure communism didn’t spread in America. In 1949 there was word of Russia making nuclear tests.
By the end of World War 2, the concern of Soviet Union (communism) taking over the world started to build up. When the Cold War started in 1947, many major events were taken in different countries. Unlike the Soviet, the American also fought the war in their homeland. U.S government afraid that the communist ideology is going drive American freedom, liberty, and right away. President Truman established a Federal employee Loyalty program for the employers to take loyalty oath to United States.
1940’s America was a nation in the grip of paranoia. The terror of communist infiltration hung heavily over the heads of every citizen. Everyone from government employees to actors were called before congress, under accusations of being a communist. However, there was more fiction to this anxiety than fact. Yet, due to the actions of certain individuals, it persisted.
McCarthyism caused Americans to turn on each other due to fear, unawareness, and propaganda. Clearly due to McCarthyism, fear evoked betrayal among Americans in the 1950’s. One reason McCarthyism sparked paranoia is due to the rapid rate of communism spreading
1950’s America was a time of great fear and of great power. World War II had ended a few years prior and had left a mark on the nation. Nazi Germany had fallen and in its place a new power captured the fear of America: The Soviet Union. Many Americans had a fear of this new world power, as the United States was in a “Cold War” with them. Wisconsin senator Joseph McCarthy used these fears to Start a hunt for the communists he claimed were plotting to overthrow the country.
The Cold War was a time when The United States not only secured it’s place as an influencer of international affairs, but explored its new standing as a rival to other world leaders. Immediately following World War 2, The USSR and America’s relationship began to dissolve as fundamental differences in basic beliefs for government and military organization became clear, and without a common enemy to unite the two, tension and conflict would separate the superpowers for almost 45 years. The policy of containment, The Truman Doctrine, and NSC-68 would each play a pivotal role in the Unites States stretching its hand of democracy into foreign lands, and using military force against the regimes that began to stand in freedom’s way. Beginning in 1946, the Policy of Containment was proposed by George Kennan in a document now titled, The Long Telegram. He presented his hopes that the United States would attempt to keep communism and regimes within their current borders.
The Cold War lasted decades and tensions continued to heightened. Trepidation spread among American citizens about the future of their country and world. Would communism take over or would the United States stand their ground and push for democracy? Following the Second World War, the Cold War caused the American people to fear the growth Communism, an economic depression, and a possible nuclear war, yet the Eisenhower Administration successfully addressed these concerns and implemented ways to reduce these fears. First and foremost, the American people feared that communism would spread and take over governments in other nations beyond the Kremlin.
The Red Scare quickly spread across the States as American people feared that communism would take over their country one day. The era had significant impacts on American society during the early stage of the Cold War. Shortly after the beginning of the Red Scare, a phenomenon which is known as McCarthyism appeared and shaped American politics. The anti-communist movement reached its peak in February 1950, when Senator Joseph McCarthy capitalised the fear by claiming he had a list of more than 200 communists working inside the American government.
In a news article published during the Red Scare, the author describes the Communist red flag as symbolizing “defiance of law, order, and constitutional government. It is an insult to the stars and stripes.” It also states, “There is no room in this country for any flag but our own.” (source) The article goes on to say that the federal government must do whatever it takes to eradicate any forms of communism.
In the 1950’s the cold war had begun. The fear of retaliation from communists was at large. Some Americans believed that communists were amongst them plotting. This lead to a dark time in history when American opportunity became limited for many. Most rights were limited, normal life was disrupted, and the most necessary human right may have been taken.
The American people feared the spread of communism and nuclear war in the aftermath of the Second World War, while President Eisenhower addressed these fears by having strong domestic and foreign policies. The fear of communism carved a deep sense of mistrust in American people. They believed anything that was said and blindly followed people who were in political power without any basis of evidence. The fear of communism created a sense of “hysteria” (Document A) within the general public and even in people in government.
Now back in the 50s, communism was an event that if you were just simply accused of being a communist no one would
When World War II ended, the United States rejoiced with what they assumed their victory would determine; total peace, the discontinuation of Communism, the return of all the dearly missed soldiers, and greater equality for all, especially in the workplace. Much to the dismay of many citizens at home during the war, these aspirations were not exactly what they expected. In the near short years right after the war, there was much prosperity and many were perfectly content, but in these years, many had difficult times with the changes that occurred after the war. With these rough times came many fears of the conditions of the country, but many of these fears were greatly calmed through the work of the President Eisenhower in the 1950s. In the
In a time of economic prosperity, a rise in the standard of living and rock and roll, also known as the “happy days”, the 1950s were a time looked back on with nostalgia. On the other hand, the 1950s were also met with many problems involving civil rights, the Cold War and McCarthyism. After the end of World War II, Americans came home to jobs available and a period of consensus. Consensus meaning there wasn’t much debate in politics. However tensions quickly rose throughout the nation when Joseph McCarthy made serious accusations about the State Department.