The Post War Red Scare phenomena

After World War I and the Post War Red Scare

After World War I, the United States of America experienced a phenomenon known as the Post War Red Scare. The Red Scare was divided into two distinct phases, the first of which occurred between 1919 and 1920 and the second of which occurred between 1947 and 1957. (Carleton, Don, and John 2014, p.12). The causes of each Red Scare were comparable, and they all had a significant impact on American peace. By misrepresenting the radicals’ support base that helped spread the Red War Scare, the United States timely reacted to the Red Scare event. In this regard, the essay aims at determining the causes of the Red War Scare and the ramifications for civil liberties in the United States. The Post War Red Scare emerged as a result of revolution in Europe after the World War I, this triggered the ramifications in the United States for civil liberties.

Causes of the Post War Red Scare

The Red Scare had a number of causes that compelled its occurrence after the world war. The key factor being the fear that struck the US after the World War I, this was associated with a staunch fear-driven phenomena of the likelihood of the anarchy to take over the US. The anarchy was coupled with the power of communists that came from the establishment of the Soviet Union (Carleton, Don, and John 2014, p.29). In this regard, the communist would pose a challenge especially in revenging against the US in and this would be the greatest tragedy to bear. The unrests caused were enormous and the speculations unraveled the Red Scare that made America to pursue the intended forces behind communisms and the anarchy from Europe. Also, the labor unrest, revolutions abroad, and the Bolshevik Revolution that happened in Russia were the great triggers of the Post War Red Scare that hit the US (Foglesong 2014, p.19). The attempts were therefore made to promote the great revolution in the US and Europe. Consequently, the World War I made a myriad people to develop anti-immigrants and hyper nationalistic considerations. However in deep thought, this was aimed at overthrowing the governments of the United State as constant fear filled the people due to high influx of the immigrants from Russia, Eastern Europe, and Southern Europe by then.

In addition to that, the appointment of A. Mitchel Palmer by President Wilson as his attorney general was one of the driving forces towards the occurrence of the Post War Red Scare. Through this movement, President Wilson in his attempt to weed out the communists, anarchists, and all other radicals led to the Red Scare since it bred fear among the population in the US during that time. The effect was adverse in that the prominent Americans had to live in constant fear of self-proclaimed anarchist’s mailing bombs directed to them (Foglesong 2014, p.22).

Furthermore, the end of the World War I left wounds in the heart of many nations and the entire population (Carleton, Don, and John 2014, p.15). The effects were adverse to an extent that the production needs decline whilst the unemployment rate increased in a number of affected nations. As a result, majority of the workers joined the labor unions to fight for their rights in the US. The workers unions led to a rise in the labor strikes that disturbed the peace sparking off revolutions. The labor unrest that comprised of the Boston police that took place in September 1919 led to fear that swept the US as every person held a belief that the radicals had spark the revolution.

The Ramifications for Civil Liberties in the United States

The Post War Red Scare had a number of consequences that affected the civil liberties in the United States. The ramifications affected the civil liberty of thousands of people. For instance, the constitutional rights were violated (Murray, Nancy, and Sarah 2014, p.25). Majority of innocent people were deported back to their countries forcefully without considering what they had amassed for the time they were at the US. This was against the constitution, however it was fueled by forces of intolerances and nativism. Also, the business society used the Red Scares as a weapon to exploit the workers and keep the unions out of their factories (Ryan 2014, p.17). This was totally against the labor laws or labor unions by then, thus the freedom by the employers in the business groups increased in bid to suppress the civil liberties. In this regard, the workers were left helpless without any union to come to their rescues especially on matters pertaining their pay, hours spent in work, and the general labor laws and freedom.

Furthermore, the effect was felt by the women’s movement. Women enjoyed peace, ties, and shared a number of platforms with labor groups and socialists before the war. However, aftermath led to the infringement of women rights and freedom in their movement. This was evident from the destruction of alliances that kept women powerful, for instance the American Women Suffrage Association. Consequently, the political spectrum for the women activists was narrowed since they were suppressed and dictated upon under the influence of the Post Red Scare event. In addition to that, freedom of speech, personal liberty, and unjust ruling by the Supreme Court dominated the United States (Ryan 2014, p.29).

In summary, the Post Red Scare event stemmed from the revolution that was aimed at ensuring the forces of communism and anarchy govern the US and most part of Europe. The fear that struck America had the same genesis that is, quest for communism. The ramifications majorly affected the innocent people who were never involved in any plot in overthrowing the American government. Therefore, the civil liberties in the US were deliberately violated.

Reference

Carleton, Don E., and John Henry Faulk. Red Scare: Right-Wing Hysteria, Fifties Fanaticism, and Their Legacy in Texas. University of Texas Press, 2014.

Foglesong, David S. America’s secret war against Bolshevism: US intervention in the Russian Civil War, 1917-1920. UNC Press Books, 2014.

Murray, Nancy, and Sarah Wunsch. “Civil Liberties in Times of Crisis: Lessons from History.” Massachusetts Law Review 2015 (2016): 2014.

Ryan, E.J., 2014. Red War on the Family: Sex, Gender, and Americanism in the First Red Scare. Temple University Press.