What kind of people were accused in the McCarthy Era?

Question

What kind of people were accused in the McCarthy Era?
Such like the Salem WitchTrials, where usually low-status women/people were mainly accused..

Answer 1

It was a pretty broad sweep. Joe McCarthy was (the story goes) claiming to have been a tailgunner in a Fortress or a Liberator during the war, though this was contested. His marksmanship in regards to actually finding communists was of the kind that if he had seen action, it wouldn't have inspired confidence in the rest of his crew.

McCarthy went after intellectuals, military men, officials in the state department, educators, and ordinary citizens. What got him into serious trouble was when he accused the retired Chief of Staff of the US Army, former Secretary of Defense, and Former Secretary of State, George C. Marshall of being a "fellow traveler" (euphemism for communist sympathizer).

As you probably know, Dwight David Eisenhower was running for the Republican nomination in 1952. Ike knew General Marshall pretty well, he had been his commander and supporter during the difficult days he had spent trying to maintain control of the entire Allied Expeditionary Force from 1943-1945.
Well, McCarthy was from Wisconsin, as you probably know, and the Wisconsin primary is a major one. Ike was in Milwaukee for the campaign, and at one point one of his assistants asked Senator McCarthy to visit the General's hotel room. McCarthy went in thinking he was going in to get a pat on the back, perhaps a promise of a cabinet post. Sorry Mac, no dice.

There were no recording devices in the room, but the word was from the people who were there, that Ike let him have it but good. If you can imagine what kind of chewing out the man who sent George Patton packing after Patton had slapped that soldier in Sicily,could give, I think you have the idea. Neither of them ever said anything about it after that, and Mac tried to pass it off as the candidate asking for advice, but the look on his face when he first walked out of that room told the story.

Answer 2

Upset! no, surprised! no. And at least Joe McCarthy lived in the times when there was good reason to be suspicious of communism! The fact that hate mongering, misinformation, and Alcoholism are just a few of the other traits that they share is no surprise whatsoever that Glenn Beck vindicates poor old Joe McCarthy, if the psychological disorders that Glenn Beck suffers from now could have been diagnosed back then, Joe McCarthy might have received the help he so obviously and desperately needed!!!

Answer 3

People who were involved in activities against the interests of the United States. People like Alger Hiss, who was investigated by his HUAC (House Unamerican Activities Committee) which led to "McCarthyism" being labeled as the same as the Salem Witch Trials, even though Hiss was named in the KGB files released after the end of the Cold War as a Soviet Agent.

Answer 4

People, like those who volunteered to fight Fascism in Spain and were labelled "Premature Anti-Fascists," were suspected and/or accused during the McCarthy Era "witchhunts."

Answer 5

college professors, actors, union members, so basically a whoel range of people, but with a focus on the "intelligencia"
Main Entry: in·tel·li·gent·sia
Pronunciation: \in-ˌte-lə-ˈjen(t)-sē-ə, -ˈgen(t)-\
Function: noun
Etymology: Russian intelligentsiya, from Latin intelligentia intelligence
Date: 1907
: intellectuals who form an artistic, social, or political vanguard or elite

Answer 6

People who were different from the group, or who looked different in some way.

Answer 7

a lot of really famous actors, male and female, were blackballed because of that. some were orson wells, edward g. robinson, pete seeger, and many more.

Answer 8

This web site is a good source:
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAmccarthyism.htm
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism