McCarthy's Witch Hunt

Senator Joseph McCarthy, a Republican from Wisconsin, was the most famous anti-Communist activist. He exploited people's concerns about Communism by making ridiculous accusations which had no support. His attacks on alleged Communists became known as McCarthyism. Today, McCarthy's tactics are known as the McCarthy Witch Hunt. During his time in office McCarthy claimed to have the names of up to 205 Communists in the State Department. However, he never actually produced a single name. He restricted his accusations to within the Senate, where he was protected from being sued for slander. His fellow Republicans made no attempt to stop him because they wanted the public to believe they were getting rid of the nation's Communists. Thus, it would give them an advantage in the 1952 presidential election. In 1954, McCarthy made accusations against the United States Army. These accusations spurred a nationally televised Senate investigation. McCarthy's maltreatment of the witnesses cost him public support. He was condemned by the Senate for improper conduct that "tended to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute". Three years later he died due to alcoholism.

-Greg and Michael

McCarthy's Witch Hunt

Winsconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy was a raging anti communist republican. He had a reputation of being an ineffective legislator but wanted to be re-elected in 1952. McCarthy charged that disloyal Communists were taking over the US government. The term McCarthyism came to be known as accusing others for being disloyal and a part of the Communist party without evidence to support the accusations. He claimed to know at various points that 57, 81, and 205 Communists were in the US State Department but was never able to produce even one name. He charged the Democratic party guilty of 20 years of treason for allowing Communism to infiltrate the US government. However, McCarthy only did the name-calling in the Senate only because he had legal immunity from slander which would prevent him from being sued for libel. The Republicans did little to stop him and wanted to win the 1952 presidential election. In 1954, he accused the U.S. Army which led to a public investigation by the Senate which therefore lost public support for his campaign. The Senate later condemned him for improper conduct. Three years later, McCarthy died a broken man from alcoholism.