After the end of the Second World War, there was a period of tension in America. America was at loggerheads with the communist of USSR. Part of the American army was deployed to go and assist in the Korean War. Besides this, Russians had also tested their nuclear weapons on China. The citizens of America believed that there was a major threat, and their leaders, such as McCarthy, only made the situation worse by exaggerating the events 1 . This period of uncertainty about war is known as the red scare. With the increase of the tension, political figures used conservatism as an element of their campaigns. In addition, communists were denied the right to free speech. People who were speculated to be communists faced challenges like loss of homes. All these events intensified the fear within Americans.
During the 1950s, and as a result of the red scare, the economy in America faced a complex situation. On one hand, the population was excited about the economic boom that followed the red scare 2 . The first major change was the end of President Franklin Roosevelt’s term and the election of Eisenhower. Next, people acquired new houses in the suburbs and enjoyed luxurious lives characterized by fine dining. On the other hand, these luxuries were short-lived. A section of the population faced challenges. For instance, the women were forced back into domestication. In the south, racism became rampant, causing people to still live in fear. Critics who questioned the Eisenhower prosperity emerged from all over. At the surface, the country seemed to be moving forward, but in essence, many evils prevailed within the citizens.
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Bibliography
Walker, William T. McCarthyism, and the Red Scare: A Reference Guide: A Reference Guide . ABC-CLIO, 2011.
Zakaria, Fareed. "Are America’s best days behind us." Time 3, no. 3 (2011): 2011
1 Walker, William T. McCarthyism and the Red Scare: A Reference Guide: A Reference Guide . (ABC- CLIO, 2011), 22.
2 Zakaria, Fareed. "Are America’s best days behind us." Time 3, no. 3 (2011), 7.
