Instructions: For response 1-2, respond thoughtfully. Just saying “I agree” or “I disagree” does not constitute a thoughtful response. They need to be substantive to promote further discussion, new ideas, or questions and are approximately 150-200 words (1 paragraph) in length. Short comments, such as “Good point,” information not applicable to the historical context of the assigned topic, and non-topic personal interactions do not apply.

RESPONSE 1

The United States in 1949 were put to the test. Their efforts to contain the spread of communism and the Spread of Soviet power was in jeopardy. The Soviet Union exploded its first atomic bomb and the Chinese Communist took over their National foes. It is said that people in the American government were passing along information to the Soviet spies. American officials that were in an appointed office, were found to be soviet spies, passing along American information to the Soviet Union. American fears grew and they had become afraid that communist within the United States were jeopardizing the Americans safety. It was said that the state department was filled with communist. An example from the reading stated, “Klaus Fuchs, a German-born physicist who had worked on the Manhattan Project and was then convicted of passing nuclear secrets to the Soviets.”(pg 830)

It was said that Hollywood was a large proponent for the communist party in the Uitned States. Film was said to be used to promote Soviet Union propaganda. HUAC was established in 1938 to look for suspected Natzi supporters. As some who lived in the United States were suspected of having involvement with the communist Natzi affilation, they were placed on a “blacklist.” This became almost impossible for them to any longer obtain employment and function in their communities. The communist in America came to be known as “TheRed Scare.”

As the war in Korea came to an end, so did one of the most frightening anti-Communist campaigns in the United States. The hate for “communist people” went as far as to targert people that were gay. They were to be associated with the Communist belief, they were said to be morally weak and to betray their country. They were called “lavender lads.” Americans were terrified of what the Soviet Union would do to the United States. The American began to advertise what to do in case of an attack would happen, this entailed building bomb shelters in peoples backyards, or basements. Shelters were built throughout many cities. Schools had dog tags made to identify all children. There were films made that were made into instructional videos that gave direct instructions on what to do in case the Soviet Union were to bomb the United States. A nuclear war became a great fear for all Americans.

RESPONSE 2

After the end of the Second World War, the Cold War emerged, which divided countries based on their ideologies. The United States and the Soviet Union were in the center of the conflict in which the US supported capitalism and USSR communism. Both sides realized that their visions for the future of Europe and the world were incompatible (Corbett et al., 2014). In the process, the fear of the Soviet Union and communism affected American society and culture in different ways. The Cold War led to the rise of the Red Scare. As a result, the Americans were paranoid about the countries that supported communism. Thus, the paranoia about the USSER and communism had a significant impact on American society and culture.

The lives of the communist sympathizers were disrupted. This is because they were separated from their families and friends. It is argued that majority of the individuals hounded by the security officers were victims of false allegations. This made American dictatorial since most people were denied the freedom to exercise their democratic rights. Additionally, there were increased cases of anxiety and hysteria. It is because of the fear of the Soviet Union and communism that led to the rise of a free press in the United States that mastered the art of propaganda better than the Soviet Union. It made the Americans develop a negative attitude towards the countries that supported communism. The Red Scare was a revolution which changed the American way of life, civility, marriage, home, and church. Additionally, it suppressed the freedom of people from expressing their ideas. Those who invoked Fifth Amendment protections, or were otherwise suspected of Communist sympathies, often lost their jobs or found themselves on a blacklist (Corbett et al., 2014). The rise of the Black List affected the media, and even their roles were impacted negatively. Lastly, it made the government develop ideals that there were specific roles that were specifically for men and women in society.