Joseph McCarthy
Joseph Raymond McCarthy (14 November 1908 – 2 May 1957) was a United States Senator from 1947 until his death in 1957.
McCarthy, starting in 1950, prominently stated very large-scale Communist infiltration of important United States institutions. In 1952, he obtained the chairmanship of the Committee on Government Operations of the Senate and of its permanent subcommittee on investigations. For two years, he investigated Communist infiltration.
He was also involved in the criticisms of the Dachau trials, notably the allegations involving the claimed German Malmedy massacre.
His critics accused him of missing evidence, harsh interrogation tactics, accusing innocent individuals causing effects such being fired, and of generally creating an anti-Communist witch-hunt, given the name "McCarthyism". When the Republicans lost control of the Senate in 1954, McCarthy was replaced as chairman and the Senate formally condemned him in a vote. "McCarthyism" has now become a general term for making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence.
Later research has confirmed very large-scale Communist infiltration, although the generally public is often unaware of this and it is often not mentioned in politically correct sources on McCarthy. See McCarthyism.
See also
External links
- Defending the Defenseless, Americans Who Opposed the Mistreatment of Germans following World War II
- The Destruction of Joe McCarthy
