Question

how did the red scare shape american life? What did McCarthy and the Rosenberg have to do with?

Answer 1

for; how did the red scare shape American life?

Most Americans never knew the first fact about either subject, except what appeared in the newspapers. Americans were firmly in favor of whatever politicians did, but they really did not want to have to keep track of anything. They wanted the government to take care of itself, and would not tolerate any complaints, right or wrong. One of the first talk shows on tv was "Dan Smoot Reports", a whistleblower program reporting waste and boondoggles. It was sponsored by Dr. Ross Dog Food. People simply stopped buying Dr. Ross and the company folded. Dan Smoot toned down his act and switched to a newsletter format by mail.

Answer 2

tell me if it helps

Answer 3

But didn't McCarthy say that there were communists spies and sympathizers everywhere in the U.S.?

Answer 4

like, all the time?

Answer 5

The short answer is that McCarthy conducted a series of show hearings that doubled as witch hunts for communists. He harangued, attacked, and verbally browbeat anyone he thought was a communist without any consideration for the truth. If he thought you were a communist or was hiding one, he'd imply that if you weren't with him you were against him. It was his moment in the sun in trying his hardest to look like a crusader for truth, justice, and the American way. The only thing missing from his hearings was a soundtrack of how awesome he thought he was.

The Rosenberg trial sensationalized the idea that there were communists among us -- that they could be anyone, spying on Americans and doing nasty things in the shadows to bring down democracy. And McCarthy rode the wave of that into a new Red Scare, making everyone think that any tiny thought, act, or word that might be seen as "un-American" instantly marked you as a bad person.

A lot of people's lives were ruined by simple accusations. In Hollywood for example, a number of writers and actors were blacklisted for years and prevented from working in the movies simply because they voiced opinions different from everyone else's.

Today, you can pretty much say anything you want -- or even belong to a Communist party at your school or whatever -- without fear of being arrested by the government or having your life ruined on Capitol hill. People eventually saw through McCarthy's crazy insinuations and how out of control he became in seeing Communists everywhere and his own career was ruined.

Answer 6

Thank you captain page Turner! I understood your response in a way that I couldn't after my 30 page lesson :/. Also your response is much more in line with what I think my lesson was saying.