Question

During the Cold War, people were afraid of communists, both outside and inside the United States. The Red Scare and McCarthyism that grew out of these fears were damaging to the American way of life. During the McCarthy years, many of the freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights were limited. Write a paragraph explaining what lessons can be learned from the McCarthy era about what U.S. citizens need to protect in order to preserve the democratic political system and the American way of life.

Answer 1

Following World War 2, as the Cold War developed and the Soviet Union was gathering allies, there was much fear -- and fear-mongering -- in the United States about the threat of communism. This time period, from the late 1940s to late 1950s, is known as the Second Red Scare. This was when the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was created and when Senator Joseph McCarthy began a campaign of accusations against suspected communists in various sectors of American life. During the Second Red Scare, many people were targeted -- including especially those in the entertainment industry, journalism, and in government and the military. The lessons learned from the McCarthy era showed that the freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights must be vigorously defended. If individual's rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association are called into question, and due process of law is not followed, everything America stands for can come under attack.

A good film you might look for on the subject of McCarthy's fear campaign and how it was overcome is the 2005 movie, "Good Night and Good Luck." The film shows the efforts of journalist Edward R. Murrow to battle against McCarthy's excesses and unfounded accusations. It was especially through the efforts of Murrow that McCarthy's excessive actions were stopped.

Answer 2

Well the lessons we can learn is how quickly our fragile freedoms can be overcome. McCarthy rose to power in 1950 of a tsunami of anti-communist hysteria, brandishing a lost of "known communists" in the State Department, and held public trials to enhance his political clout. He had fallen from power but only when his attacks were against the U.S. Army broadcast to millions of Americans to their homes exposing his indecent persecution of the innocence of people. The Senate censured him in December 1954 Disgraced and Discredited, he had died three years later at the age of 47..I hope my answer has helped you.. good day to you..