DaiquirriStreet

History2710400
Prof.ChrisCase
25/07/2016
ModuleEssays5&6
WhatwastheimpactofMcCarthyism?
SenatorJosephMcCarthymadesomefalsewildstatementsaboutCommunism
beingamongallofus.Hesaidcommunistsaregoingtotakeusoverfromwithin,
leadingtoawhirlwindofhysteriawiththeAmericanPeople.Theresultsandimpactof
McCarthyism,ledtoeveryonewatchingeachotherandbeingparanoid,newsecurity
programsandthousandsofpeoplelosingtheirjobswithnoprooforrealreason.
TheideasofMcCarthyismgrewsofastduetotheColdWarandRedScare.The
hysteriacausedledtothousandsoffalseaccusations.Andtheideaofinnocenttill
provenguiltywentrightoutthewindow.Peoplewereconstantlychargedwithout
evidence(Source3).Peopleandpolicyprogramswerebecomingsosecretive,boards
werecreatedtokeepinformationprivateandlimitedaccess.Peoplewhowere
considereddoubtfulofloyaltyorasecurityriskwereaccusedofbeingaCommunistand
werefired(Source4).TheFBIalsosetupaprogramtoscreenanyonewhowasonthe
payrollofthegovernmentforsuspiciousactivity,thiswasreferredtoastheLoyalty
Program(Source5,8&9).
McCarthyismleadtoacrazyWitchHuntofallpeople.Thousandsofpeople
werefiredunderthenewsecurityprograms(Source9)Thoughdespiteallthese

accusations,nooneeversawatrial,andnotonerealconspiracywasuncovered
(Source5).TherewasnotoneprovenCommunistfound(Source9).Theresultsin
hindsightareveryridiculous.ItwassaidthataNationcannotprosperwithdistrust,and
againpeoplewhowerereportedforsuspiciousactivitywerenevergivenachanceto
defendthemselvesandtherewasneveranyproof(Source10).

WhileMcCarthycametopersonifytheera,hewasonlythemostvisiblecomponentofa
crusadeagainstpoliticalnonconformity.WhywereAmericanssosusceptibleto
McCarthyism?IstheAmericaoftodayimmunetothiskindofpoliticaltactic?
AmericansfellforMcCarthyismhard.ItIbelievewassowasbecausetheStates
hadalreadybeenthroughtheRedScareandwithColdWarandtheArmsraceitwas
easytofallinto.JosephMcCarthywasaRedHerringofthetime(Source4).Whathe
saiddidntmakeatonofsense,hedidnthaverealprooforifhedidhenevershowed
anyonehisproof(Source5).McCarthysetoffsomanyfalsealarmsandhewas
comparedtoandhadtheimpactlikeHitler(Source7).
AnotherreasonIthinkhewassobelievableisbecausenoonereallytriedtostop
himforalongtime.Hewastheonlyonesayinganythingandtherewasnoother
opinion,soforthepeopletheseaccusationsandpressuretoactnow(Source2)hadto
betakenintoconsideration.PoliticalDemocratsdidntdoanythingtostophimbecause
hewasfearedasathreattotheirpersonalandpartyfortunes.Sothenneitherparty
reallydidanythingaboutit(Source11).

AsfarasareAmericansimmunetothistypeofpoliticalImpact?Iwouldloveto
sayyes,IwouldlovetosaythatAmericansfollowandrespectallCivilLibertiesandthat
AmericansalwaysseekatrialforanswersandthatAmericansarelogicalandwantto
knowthefactsbeforemakinggranderroneousaccusations.WiththestateoftheUS,I
believethatAmericansarestillSusceptibletobelievingincrazyideasandpointingthe
finger,andinasensejustbecause.TodayDonaldTrumpseemslikeAmericas
McCarthy,TheRedHerringoftheday.Heissuccessfulbecausehecatchespeople's
attention.AndthewayminoritiesaretreatedprovesthatAmericaisstillprettycrazyand
unabletoacceptandmakelogical,rationaldecisionsandopinions.

ThoughtheblamefortheattackonPearlHarborrestswiththeJapanese,whoisto
blameforthesuccessoftheattack?

TheblameofPearlHarborfallsbackontheUnitedStatesandsomewouldsay
PresidentRoosevelt.TheUShadbeenbreakingJapanesecodessayingthatanattack
wouldhappenagainsttheUnitedStates.Theyjustdidntexactlyknowwhenandwhere.
SomethoughtssaytheFDRknewoftheattackandletishappensothattheUScould
finallyhaveenoughreasontoenterWWII.
TheSourcesfromJapanreportsthattheUnitedStateshaditcoming.Sayingthe
USwasneglectfulinhelpingthempreserveEastAsiaandthattheyshuttheireyesto
theproblemsintheregion,afterAmericawasalreadyestablishedastheworldspolice
(Source9).JapanalsothinksthattheUSisarrogantandisstranglingandhurting
JapanwiththeBlockadeandcontinuouslyprocrastinatingonnegotiations(Source7).

TheneedtheUShelpbuttheydontwantthestrictUSinfluenceandwayoflifeinthe
Pacific(Source7&10).JapanwasangeredwiththeUSforitsneglectanditspatients
waslimited,theyfeltliketheyneededtotakeaction(Source10).TheUSshouldhave
beenmoreproactivewithJapantoavoidanattack.
PresidentFDRalsogotalotoftheblame.Itwasrumoredthathewantedthe
attacktohappentoenterthewar.Thepeoplesaidthatitwasanabuseofhisexecutive
power,sayingheusedaBackdoorintothewar(Source18).JournalistJ.T.Flynn
wroteanarticlequestioningthepresidentsintentions.HesawedthattheUShadbroke
theJapanesecodeofattack,thePurpleCypher.Alsoquestioned,WhydidPearl
HarborhappenifweknewJapansintentionsofattackandWhywouldhedothisafter
twosuccessfultermsandtarnishhisreputation?Flynnhadgoodreasoningandsaid
thingsthatmadesensebuttherewasstillnosolidproofagainstFDR(Source17).The
peoplejustfeltthattherewasalotleftunsaidandthatitseemedlikethepresidentand
thoseclosesttohimwerehidingthingsfromthepublic(Source13).Thereforealotof
peoplehadblamedFDRfortheattackorattheleastwereverysuspicious.

WhywouldtheattackonPearlHarborproducesuchadramaticreversalofAmerican
publicopinionregardingtheentryofthePacificandEuropeanConflicts?
BeforethewaritwouldseemthateveryoneintheUSwaswillingtohelpwiththe
effortsbuttheyreallydidntwanttodomorethanjustsendaid.Aweekbeforethe
attackonPearlHarbor,seventyfivepercentofAmericanswereagainstthewar(Source
14).TheairattackonPearlHarborwasacompleteshocktoeveryone.Itwent

completelyundetectedandevenasthefleetshipsapproached,theystillwerenotseen
inthenight(Source4).Peoplebelievedthattheafterthegruesomeattacktheonly
optionnowwastodeclarewarandattackJapan(Source2).Peoplealsothoughtthat
JapansattackpulledJapantogetherwithGermany,sinceGermanywasalreadytrying
topulltheUSintothewarandweakUSdefences(Source2).TheUSthoughtthey
wereatpeacewithJapansothesurpriseattackreallythrougheveryoneoffandhurt
andkilledsomany.ThisbreakofthepeacemeantthattheUnitedStateshadtofight
back(Source6).FDRsspeechalsoexpressesthatAmericamustgotowartoinsure
thattheseeventsneverhappenagain(Source6).OverallIthinkAmericansdontliketo
bemessedwithandwhenAmericansareattackedorfeelcheatedtheyreactextremely.
Americadefinitelyhasthepowerhousementalityandifsomeonemesseswiththat
mentality,theyreceiveretaliation.