Question

Read this summary of the selection: McCarthyism began at the same time as the Cold War. Communism was seen as a threat, and Joe McCarthy responded by accusing people of being communists. He was eventually stopped when the Senate voted to censure him. Which important detail is missing from the summary?

President Eisenhower was even suspected as being a communist.
The Soviet Union was an ally to the United States during World War II.
McCarthy was a soldier in World War II.
McCarthy's tactics harmed many innocent lives.

Answer 1

The key detail missing from the summary is the harm that McCarthy's actions caused to many innocent lives, as he spread fear and suspicion through unfounded accusations of communism, damaging reputations and careers without ever presenting concrete evidence.

Step-by-step explanation:

The important detail missing from the summary is that McCarthy's tactics harmed many innocent lives. McCarthy's campaign of accusing individuals of communism without evidence led to numerous personal tragedies, including damaged reputations, lost jobs, and the overall fostering of a culture of fear and suspicion.

McCarthy, who was seeking re-election, capitalized on the fearful sentiments of post-WWII America, where there was a genuine concern about Communism. He sensationalized and exploited these fears with his claims of discovering a list of supposed communists in the State Department.

These allegations, however, were unfounded, and he frequently changed the numbers for dramatic effect. His inability to provide any solid evidence did little to shake his credibility with supporters for quite some time.

Although McCarthy was eventually censured by the Senate, the effects of his witch-hunt had already inflicted deep harm. People's careers and lives were destroyed, and the political landscape had become poisoned with paranoia. There was an environment where dissent could too easily be misconstrued as disloyalty or communism, which stifled open debate and progressive reforms.