“Joseph McCarthy is the most unjustly demonized individual in American history…In Feb. 1950, McCarthy, a Republican Senator from Wisconsin, launched a massive campaign against alleged Communists and Soviet agents working for, spying on, the U.S. government. In Senate hearings stretching across much of the first half of the 1950’s, he accused numerous U.S. government employees, including many in the State Dept., of being Communists or even agents of Soviet Intelligence. He was bitterly opposed by powerful members of the Senate, by numerous high ranking officials within both the Truman and Eisenhower administrations, and by the overwhelming majority of the press corps.”-theobjectivestandard.com. 11/20/16.
“Desiring to protect the reputations of those not yet proven to be Communists or Soviet spies, McCarthy did not name names in public hearings.” He would refer to them as case numbers, “seeking to show Communist loyalties without divulging the individual’s name. In the absence of knowing the individual’s identity, it was exceedingly difficult for journalists or historians to fact check the specific accusations…records were sealed by the Senate for 50 years and not opened to the public until 2003.”-theobjectivestandard.com. 11/20/16.
In these sealed records, it’s revealed that “hundreds of CPUSA (Communist Party of the United States of America) members worked for and spied on the U.S. government, reporting information to Soviet Intelligence.”…John Haynes and Harvey Klehr, two leading experts on Soviet espionage, concluded: “Numerous secret Communists and Soviet sympathizers eagerly volunteered to deliver American military, technological and diplomatic secrets to Stalin.”-theobjectivestandard.com. 11/20/16.
Earl Browder (“Helmsman”), CPUSA party chief, “knowingly and purposely assisted Soviet spies…espionage was a regular activity of the American Communist Party. …CPUSA membership on the part of U.S. government employees…meant loyalty not to the United States but to the Soviet Union….and it meant the distinct possibility of spying. In brief, CPUSA membership by government officials constituted a substantial security risk…McCarthy sought merely to remove such individuals from government employment. …not to incarcerate them in Leavenworth, nor deny them employment in the private sector jobs unrelated to defense or government secrets, nor to hound or besmirch them in perpetuity, but only to fire them from their government posts…McCarthy had the funny idea that neither Soviet agents nor known Communists should be working for the U.S. government.”-theobjectivestandard.com. 11/20/16.
“In Feb. 1950, when McCarthy launched his public crusade, were there still extensive security breeches within the U.S. government and government agencies, involving Soviet agents, Communists or suspected Communists? At this point in time? The answer is unequivocally “yes.” …In May, 1950, Solomon Adler (“Sax”) was still employed at the Treasury Dept….Adler had been identified as a Soviet agent by both Whittaker Chambers & Elizabeth Bentley, a charge later confirmed by research into Soviet archives.” Chambers and Bentley were both Soviet agents and members of the CPUSA…William Remington was case number 19 on McCarthy’s initial Senate presentation. Remington had been identified by federal agents as an active Communist while in College and when subsequently working for the Tennessee Valley Authority. He was named a Soviet agent by Elizabeth Bentley, to whom he had passed information regarding airplane production. Eventually, he was tried, convicted and jailed for perjury regarding his involvement in the CPUSA. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a recovered KGB memo listed Remington, among 42 others, as Soviet spies likely exposed by Bentley to U.S. authorities. In 1950, he was working for the U.S. Commerce Dept.”
“McCarthy’s 1953 investigation into security laxity at Ft. Monmouth in New Jersey, revealed leaks of confidential information about anti-aircraft systems, missile detection, radar and other advanced electronics the military researched there…substantial amounts of classified information were stolen and transmitted to the Soviets.”-theobjectivestandard.com. 11/20/16.
These are just some examples of CPUSA spies, working in our government, handing over sensitive information to the Soviet Union, during the McCarthy era. Other examples can fill a book.
McCarthy had an astounding 50-29 Gallup poll approval in Jan. 1954 by the American public, for his work exposing Communists, Soviet spies, in our government.-napavalleyregister.com.
“Emboldened by such support, McCarthy set out to widen the scope of his investigations. This time however, he would go too far….McCarthy…set out to expose Communists within the U.S. Army. President Eisenhower decided enough was enough.”-pbs.org.
“Eisenhower instructed his staff to present information that would discredit McCarthy. It was revealed that McCarthy had petitioned the Army to award preferential treatment to his assistant, David Shine. Finding himself on the defensive, McCarthy demanded notes of meetings between Eisenhower personnel and Army officials.” Eisenhower invoked executive privilege in refusing to turn over the notes…”Eisenhower robbed McCarthy from continuing his investigations/ hearing, into the U.S. Army. “Eisenhower quietly exerted pressure on Republican Senators to go forward with a censure of McCarthy.” In Dec. 1954, McCarthy “was condemned for conduct unbecoming of a Senator. Eisenhower was successful in undermining McCarthy.”-pbs.org.
Conclusion: Joe McCarthy was an original swamp drainer. Unfortunately, his proof/ evidence, of CPUSA spying activity for the Soviet Union, by government employees, officials, was sealed by the Senate for 50 years. I suppose his ego got the best of him when he went after Communists in the U.S. Army. He should have quit while he was ahead. It was a very bad decision, considering President Eisenhower was a 5 star General before becoming President. In the end, McCarthy was shamed on National Television by the Army’s lawyer; “was formally censured by his fellow Senators in Dec. 1954, by a vote of 67-22. He died less than 3 years later, before he completed his second term.”-britannica.com. …most probably due to alcoholism, at the age of 48.-history.com. 5/2/1957. If he would have stopped his crusade before attacking the Army, history would have treated him with respect. / Done
Thank you. That was interesting and informative. Are you aware of Syd Herlong, a Congressman, who in 1963 read into the Congressional record many of the Communist goals, which, regrettably, some have already become accomplished?
I believe that McCarthy took it too far when he went after Hollywood. Everyday people got very scared that they were next.
I could be mistaken, Nancy, but I don’t believe McCarthy ever “went after” anyone from Hollywood. McCathy was a Senator and, as such, was not a member of the HOUSE Un-american Activities Committee (HUAC). HUAC were largely Democrats and some RINO’s who were riding the popularity of McCarthy to score political points. McCarthy was focused on Government and had nothing to do with the House of Representatives.
Its amazing