After the world war II,America and Russia began to view one another uneasily.The two countries were based on opposing ideologies, namely capitalism and communism.

In addition, each country was rapidly expanding its political influence throughout Europe and the third world.In 1947,the Cold War began and the two powers began to treat one another as deadly enemies.In America,anyone who had ever flirted with socialist or communist beliefs was suddenly seen as a traitor to the American way of life.

Although the persecution of leftists took its name from the McCarthy hearings of the early 1950's,it actually began with the publication of the Attorney-General's list in 1947 by the House Committee of Un-American Activities(HUAC).This list contained names of people with ties to subversive or communist organizations.Later,this list expanded to become the notorious black list,by which thousands of people were forbidden to work in their professions.In addition,HuAC held hearings to investigate charges of "Un-Americanism."These hearings continued through the McCarthy era and were often more damaging than the McCarthy hearings themselves.

In 1950's, the Chinese Revolution had just been won,the Russians had exploded their first atomic bomb and the Korean War had just begun.The time was ripe for an explosion
of anti-communist feeling.Overnight, Senator Joseph McCarthy became famouswith his accusation that, for 20 years, the Democratic government had been nurturing the growth of
communism in Amsrica. Under McCarthy,Senate hearings were set up and the wholesale persecution of leftists began.

It should be remembered that during the Spanish Civil War and the World War II, many people had worked with socialists and leftists to fight fascism. Indeed, only a few years
before, America and Russia had been allies. Under McCarthyism, however, anti-communist hysteria became so intense and so irrational that even moderate liberals referred toit as awitch hunt.As Miller states in his notes to "The Crucible","in America any man who is not reactionary in his view is open to the charge of alliance with the Red hell...a political policy is equated with moral right,and opposition to it with diabolical malevolence."

The McCarthy and HUAC hearings followed a similar pattern.As each "witness" took the stand, he would be asked whether he had ever had any dealings with communists.If he refused to
answer,he could be arrested.If he denied the charge, he would be asked

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