During the 1950s, the American people began to develop a fear of internal communist subversion. The Korean stalemate, the "loss" in China, and the development of a Soviet atomic bomb were setbacks in the American battle against communism. Searching for people to blame, the American people were attracted to the idea of a communist conspiracy within American borders. This resulted in the era known as McCarthyism, where the frustration and fear of communism evolved into hysteria.
In February 1950, a Republican Wisconsin senator, Joseph McCarthy burst into national prominence. He made a speech…
