Dalton Trumbo Red Scare

Title: How the Red Scare Relates to “The Crucible” Red scare formed in 1919 the climax of the Red scare is when the conflict between the Soviet Union and the United states intensifies During the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. It caused the Americans thinking that the communists are a big Threat to them. The United States took actions to prevent the red scare taking over the United States which caused McCarthyism to form. McCarthyism is a practice of false accusations without any proof.

Red Scare panic and hysteria began in 1919-1920’s after WWI. Thanks to the Red Scare, the American public became paranoid and suspicious of everyone from Communist Russian. In some cases, neighbors would report neighbors as being Communist spies just because they did not like their neighbor. The modern day terrorism The anti-Muslim panic and hysteria arose after terrorists came to the United States as normal immigrants and used the American education system to train themselves to be aircraft pilots and got support money from those already in the United Sates began with the attacks on the World Trade Center and The Pentagon. Both are the reactions of the American public to acts of war.

According to the article A Decade of Fear by Sam Roberts it states, “As his fame and power grew, so did his anti-Communist fervor. He accused government officials and politicians who opposed him,” (para 11). Sam

Fear is a powerful emotion which controls human beings. Throughout history fear has depicted the outcome of society because few people live with no fear. During horrific events including the Salem Witch Trials, McCarthyism and the ongoing battle against terrorism fear was a response to uncertainty. The Salem Witch Trials were the unfair hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft, these trials were expressed in the Crucible written by Arthur Miller. McCarthyism was when thousands of Americans were accused of being communists, the event was portrayed in the movie Guilty By Suspicion.

People lived in constant anxiety of America falling to Communist control. The fear of infiltration rose when Mao Zedong led Communists to take control of China as well as the Soviets detonating the atomic bomb. This caused the anxiety and fear to increase because even some American Scientists didn’t believe that the Soviets had the expertise to do so. American citizens began to believe that communist spies had been able to steal American technology. The detonation of the bomb started drills throughout America.

The red Scare was like the salem witch trials. Communism and Socialism have had a bad effect on the Twentieth Century. These forms of governments have challenged the beliefs of other governments. They have created conflict and controversy. However, these two forms of governments are influential in the fact that they have played a valuable role in shaping modern day politics.

With all of the events that took place during this time, they all added up to cause a scare in America at the time. I believe that McCarthy was the main cause of the Red Scare because of his accusations of many American people. McCarthy accused American citizens as well as the United States government while HUAC only accused Hollywood

The last major reason how McCarthyism had changed American politics is the blacklists. Although the blacklists started out with ten Hollywood actors and such the employers who were worried that their employees might be communist spies would still have people, such as HUAC, investigate certain employees. Employees who were thought to be communist would be put on the blacklist and would not be able to get a job anywhere. After analyzing the provided evidence anticommunism can be deemed as the event that had affected American politics in a more minor way compared to the “silent

Reflection of this conflict was apparent in the American ethos, in which Americans feared that if “world communism captur[ed] any American state…a new and perilous front…will increase the danger to the entire free world and require even greater sacrifices from the American people” (Document B). As illustrated by Eisenhower, “the hysteria” of communism propagating into American society and threatening the American way of life was a very prevalent fear at the forefront of the Cold War (Document A). McCarthyism, a system established by Senator Joseph McCarthy in which he made unsubstantiated accusations of subversion or treason to America, acted as the culmination of this hysteria, directly reflecting the sentiments driving the American people. Eisenhower did not engage in any domestic policies to quell these “multiplicity of fears” (Document A). Instead he compounded them with legislation such as the “National System of Interstate and Defense Highways…connect[ing] 209 of the 247 cities having a population of 50,00 more and [serving as] the country’s principal…defense” (Document D).

The thought of another Cold War is scary for many Americans including myself. The last Cold War changed a lot of American lives. Many Americans felt unsafe especially during the Cuban Missile crisis. If tensions do keep rising and another Cold War breaks out many Americans might not feel safe in their own homes. If you add this and terrorism together you will get a lot of americans who are upset at their national security and will want more security for themselves.

The Cold War was a state of heightened tension between the United States and Soviet Union due to both nations trying to promote their systems of government. This war played a huge role in bringing out the fear of communism in the U.S.. In mid twentieth century America, citizens believed that preventing communism would result in the nation's security (“Cold War History”). This belief initiated the second Red Scare in America. The popular fear of communism that was running rampant all over the United States at the time resulted in reckless actions made by the government.

The movie Trumbo presents, Dalton Trumbo who is a talented screenwriter. However, him being a member in the Communist Party draws the neglect of anti-Soviet entertainment-industry figures. Trumbo is one of 10 screenwriters subpoenaed to testify before the U.S Congress in regard to alleged Communist propaganda in Hollywood films. In 1950, Trumbo serves eleven months in prison where he meets J. Parnell Thomas who was convicted of tax evasion. Later he resorts to giving the screenplay for Roman Holiday to his friend Ian McLellan Hunter, to take credit and a share of the money, and eventually the Academy Award for Best Story.

After WWII, there was communism fever in the northern part of the world. This domineering outbreak of communism threatened the US and our capitalist allies. Through the outbreaks, the US took things to drastic measures and did everything in their power to stop communism, causing multiple wars and combat. During June of 1950, North Korea first invaded the Southern part of Korea due to their pessimistic views on communism.