Final answer:
Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer significantly contributed to the Red Scare with the Palmer Raids, which involved illegal surveillance, arrests, and deportations without due process. Public fear of communism was heightened but skepticism grew as predicted uprisings never occurred, leading to a decline in Palmer's career.
Step-by-step explanation:
Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer played a significant role in perpetuating the Red Scare following World War I. Palmer authorized the infamous Palmer Raids, targeting suspected leftists and anarchists through a series of legal and extralegal raids. These actions, fueled by a widespread fear of communism and radicalism, involved controversial surveillance tactics, unjust arrests, and deportations of radical aliens without proper regard to due process.
The Palmer Raids were largely seen as an overreaction that infringed upon individual rights. Palmer's extreme measures, including mass arrests and the deportation of hundreds of alleged radicals, were justified by claims of impending revolutionary threats, which ultimately did not materialize. His actions contributed to the heightening of public fear and hysteria during this period.
However, over time, public sentiment turned against Palmer as the predicted uprisings failed to occur, casting doubt on the necessity and legality of his methods. The Red Scare he helped fuel eventually subsided, but it left a lasting impression on civil rights and American federal law enforcement.