Question

The Red Scare of the late 1940s and the 1950s was the fear that _____. communists in important positions in American society were working for the enemy communists in the United States would help the Soviets if there were an invasion the Soviet Union and China were powerful adversaries the Soviet Union had atomic weapons and might use them

Answer 1

The Red Scare of the late 1940s and the 1950s was the fear that communists in important positions in American society were working for the enemy.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Second Red Scare was also known as McCarthyism. It lasted from 1950 to 1957 and was characterized by a marked political repression to the communists, as well as by a campaign of fear of their influence in the American institutions and the espionage by agents of the Soviet Union. Originally coined to describe the anti-communist patrol sponsored by Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin, the term soon took on a broader meaning, being used today to describe the excess of similar initiatives. It is also used to describe reckless and unsubstantiated accusations as well as demagogic attacks on the character or sense of patriotism of political opponents.

During McCarthyism, thousands of Americans were accused of being Communists or sympathizers and became objects of aggressive investigations. The main target of the suspects were civil officers, entertainment industry workers, educators and trade unionists.