Final answer:
The attack on an esteemed military general during the Army-McCarthy Hearings exposed McCarthy's lack of evidence and led to his censure by the Senate for 'unbecoming conduct,' causing Americans to question his credibility and reject his approach to rooting out Communism.
Step-by-step explanation:
It took an attack on an esteemed military general for Americans to finally see through McCarthy's false allegations because the televised hearing during the Army-McCarthy Hearings exposed McCarthy's use of intimidation and lack of evidence. This public display of McCarthy's tactics turned public opinion against him as people witnessed firsthand the hollowness of his unsubstantiated accusations.
Millions of Americans watched as McCarthy failed to provide any evidence of disloyal military officers and instead launched a personal attack on a young army officer he claimed was a Communist. McCarthy's behavior during these hearings led to his censure by the Senate for 'unbecoming conduct,' effectively ending his prospects for political leadership.
The attack on the military general highlighted McCarthy's reckless and baseless accusations, causing Americans to question his credibility and ultimately reject his approach to rooting out Communism in the United States.