Summary of History Brief: The Red Scare in the 1920s
In the early 1920s, a widespread fear of Communism gripped the United States, driven by the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917, which established a Communist regime. Communism, characterized by the absence of private ownership, was perceived as a direct threat to the American values of personal property and capitalism. This fear was exacerbated by an influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe, where communist and anarchist ideologies were prevalent.
In 1919, the situation escalated when a series of bomb plots targeting prominent political figures and businessmen were uncovered, leading to the Palmer Raids, initiated by U.S. Attorney General Alexander Palmer. These raids aimed to arrest and deport suspected communists and anarchists, resulting in over 500 deportations. This period of heightened fear and suspicion became known as the "Red Scare," named after the term "reds" used to describe communists.
The decade also saw other incidents that fueled paranoia, such as the trial and execution of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, two anarchists wrongfully accused of murder amid public hysteria. Additionally, a bomb explosion on Wall Street in September 1920 further intensified fears of a communist uprising, although no suspects were apprehended. Ultimately, while there was a presence of communism and anarchism in the U.S. during this time, much of the fear was attributed to mass hysteria rather than actual threats.
Speakers:
- Narrator (no specific name provided)
Notable Quotes
— 00:36 — « Communism was viewed as a threat to the American way of life. »
— 01:58 — « This panic over a communist threat became known as a 'Red Scare'. »
— 02:48 — « The frightened public was searching for a scapegoat to blame. »
— 03:40 — « Most of the fear over communist uprisings were largely the result of mass hysteria and paranoia. »