Member-only story

The Man Who Sold America: The Rise and Fall of Joe McCarthy

Jack London

·4.5k Followers· Follow

Published in The Man Who Sold America: The Amazing (but True ) Story Of Albert D Lasker And The Creation Of The Advertising Century

6 min read · 2 weeks before

596 View Claps

77 Respond

Save

Listen

Joseph Raymond McCarthy was born on November 14, 1908, in Grand Chute, Wisconsin. He was the son of Timothy McCarthy, an Irish immigrant who работал a farmer, and Bridget Tierney McCarthy, a devout Catholic. McCarthy attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he studied law. He graduated in 1935 and was admitted to the bar in 1936.

The Man Who Sold America: The Amazing (but True!) Story of Albert D. Lasker and the Creation of the Advertising Century

by Jeffrey L. Cruikshank

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1147 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	510 pages

McCarthy's political career began in 1939, when he was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate. He served in the Senate for four years, and in 1946, he was elected to the United States Senate. McCarthy quickly gained a reputation as a staunch anti-communist. In 1950, he gave a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia, in which he claimed that there were 205 communists working in the State Department. This speech marked the beginning of the McCarthy era, a period of intense anti-communist hysteria in the United States.

McCarthy's accusations were largely unsubstantiated, but they nevertheless had a devastating impact on American society. Many innocent people were accused of being communists and lost their jobs, their reputations, and even their freedom. McCarthy's tactics were widely condemned by both Democrats and Republicans, but he remained popular with the American public. In 1954, however, McCarthy's luck ran out. He made unsubstantiated accusations against the United States Army, and the Army fought back. The Army-McCarthy hearings were televised live, and the American public was able to see for themselves McCarthy's bullying tactics and his lack of evidence.

The Army-McCarthy hearings led to McCarthy's downfall. He was censured by the Senate in 1954, and his career was effectively over. McCarthy died of alcoholism in 1957. He was 49 years old.

McCarthy's legacy is a complex one. He was a demagogue who exploited the fears of the American people. However, he also played a role in raising awareness of the threat of communism. McCarthy's legacy is still debated today, but there is no doubt that he was one of the most controversial figures in American history.

The Rise of McCarthyism

The McCarthy era began in 1950, with McCarthy's speech in Wheeling, West Virginia. In this speech, McCarthy claimed that there were 205 communists working in the State Department. This claim was largely unsubstantiated, but it nevertheless had a devastating impact on American society. Many innocent people were accused of being communists and lost their jobs, their reputations, and even their freedom.

There were a number of factors that contributed to the rise of McCarthyism. One factor was the Cold War. The Cold War was a period of intense rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. Both countries were competing for global supremacy, and each side feared that the other was trying to undermine it. This fear led to a heightened sense of paranoia in the United States, and McCarthy was able to exploit this paranoia to his advantage.

Another factor that contributed to the rise of McCarthyism was the Red Scare. The Red Scare was a period of fear and hysteria about the spread of communism in the United States. This fear was fueled by a number of factors, including the rise of communist China and the Korean War. McCarthy was able to play on this fear by claiming that there were communists everywhere, even in the highest levels of government.

McCarthy's tactics were widely condemned by both Democrats and Republicans, but he nevertheless remained popular with the American public. McCarthy was a master of self-promotion, and he was able to use the media to his advantage. He also had a knack for connecting with the fears and anxieties of the American people. As a result, McCarthy was able to maintain a high level of popularity even as his accusations became increasingly outlandish.

The Fall of McCarthyism

McCarthy's luck ran out in 1954. He made unsubstantiated accusations against the United States Army, and the Army fought back. The Army-McCarthy hearings were televised live, and the American public was able to see for themselves McCarthy's bullying tactics and his lack of evidence.

The Army-McCarthy hearings led to McCarthy's downfall. He was censured by the Senate in 1954, and his career was effectively over. McCarthy died of alcoholism in 1957. He was 49 years old.

The fall of McCarthyism was a major turning point in American history. It marked the end of the Red Scare and the beginning of a new era of hope and optimism. McCarthyism was a dark chapter in American history, but it also taught us valuable lessons about the importance of due process and the dangers of demagoguery.

McCarthy's Legacy

Some historians argue that McCarthy was a necessary evil. They contend that he helped to raise awareness of the threat of communism and that he prevented the United States from becoming a communist country. Other historians argue that McCarthy was a dangerous demagogue who did more harm than good. They contend that he destroyed the lives of innocent people and that he created a climate of fear and paranoia in the United States.

The truth probably lies somewhere in between these two extremes. McCarthy was a complex figure, and his legacy is a complex one. He was a demagogue who exploited the fears of the American people, but he also played a role in raising awareness of the threat of communism. McCarthy's legacy is still debated today, but there is no doubt that he was one of the most controversial figures in American history.

The Man Who Sold America: The Amazing (but True!) Story of Albert D. Lasker and the Creation of the Advertising Century

by Jeffrey L. Cruikshank

4.2 out of 5