It wasn't called the "Red Frolic." It was the Red Scare.
During the Cold War Era, Americans were terrified about a Communist takeover, as they saw increasing Soviet influence around the globe and feared that Soviet technology was surpassing our own. McCarthy played on this fear like a virtuoso, using it to accumulate power entirely out of proportion to his position. He was a Senator, so it wasn't like he was a guy on the street, but even President Eisenhower was leery of challenging him. He banished him to a minor Senate committee and hoped he'd stay out of trouble.
Heh.
American citizens ended up being almost more afraid of McCarthy than of the Soviets. His committee, and the House Un-American Activities Committee, were ruthless bullies, destroying the careers and personal lives of thousands of Americans and scaring the daylights out of everyone else. A single insinuation of Communist sympathies was all it took to ruin someone's life.
It finally took someone who wasn't afraid to stand up to him. It's like with bullies: they're more scared of you than you are of them.
Wait—that might be snakes. We don't remember.
Questions About Fear
- Was the Red Scare justified? How big a threat did Communism pose to the United States?
- Do you think Welch was afraid to confront McCarthy? Does Welch appear worried during this exchange?
- What was the evidence of McCarthy's fear tactics in this transcript? Is fear ever a helpful ally against a political opponent?
- From your reading, who seems to be the most fearful individual in these hearings?
Chew on This
Welch seemed totally fearless in this hearing.
Welch was masking his fear with his flippant badgering of Roy Cohn.