Final answer:
McCarthyism involved unsubstantiated accusations and fear-mongering to identify suspected communists. Tactics used included public accusations without evidence, Senate investigations, and blacklisting in various sectors. Surveillance programs like COINTELPRO and the Internal Security Act also supported these efforts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The period known as McCarthyism is characterized by the use of aggressive tactics to identify suspected communists during the Cold War. Senator Joseph McCarthy spearheaded this campaign by issuing unsubstantiated accusations against individuals and government agencies, often without providing any evidence. Some of the tactics included: publicizing vague lists of alleged communists within the government, initiating Senate hearings, and leveraging fear and paranoia to pressure individuals to testify or name others. This climate of suspicion and the subsequent investigations led to the blacklisting and persecution of many individuals in Hollywood, government, and other sectors of society. Furthermore, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations played significant roles in conducting hearings and investigations related to communist influence.
Anti-Communist propaganda was rampant, with entities like the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover contributing to the hysteria by carrying out extensive surveillance and counterintelligence programs such as COINTELPRO. Additionally, the Internal Security Act gave the government expanded powers to investigate and label organizations as communist.
Accusations extended beyond political leanings, with personal lives and beliefs also being targeted. This included the persecution of gay men and lesbians, who were often conflated with communists due to the flawed belief that they could be easily blackmailed or were otherwise susceptible to betraying their country.