Communism And The Anti Communist Rhetoric - 1401 Words

When one considers the definitions of its roots, communism seems like an odd word to inspire as much fear as it has and does. â€Å"Commun,† meaning â€Å"together† and â€Å"ism,† meaning â€Å"belief in,† combine to form a word for which the connotation far outweighs the denotation. Rather than bring people together, communism in the United States caused divides, even between people on the same sides. Although the exact definition of communism differed for Communists and Anti-Communists, the definitions held commonality in the way that they labeled members of the group as â€Å"other†. To Anti-Communists, communism was a force that they could not comprehend, not because it was over their heads, but because they either chose to put no effort into understanding it or were not allowed the resources needed to do so. All that was required was that one understood the end goal of communism as the anti-communist rhetoric described it: to complete the â €Å"ultimate seizure of power,† eliminating the government of the United States. Rather than take the time to learn the actual end goals of the majority of people who identified as communist, more prestigious anti-communists such as James F. O’Neil chose to put their effort into discrediting people who identified as communist. He asked his followers to contact the media and â€Å"call their attention to their ‘mistakes,’† such as â€Å"neglect[ing] to mention†2 that certain people or organizations that they were citing or conversing with were communists. People likeShow MoreRelatedAnti Communist Rhetoric And American Patriotism1605 Words   |  7 Pagesdepicted communist, to feed the hatred for communism. The illustrators did this to catch the public’s attention by exploiting their irrational fear of communism to entice them to buy the comic book. Just prior to the release of the Comic Codes, Fighting American #3 was already showing acceptance of the codes, with Fighting American being depicted as the perfect athletic American with his American boy side kick ready to save the day from the communists of domestic America. The anti-communist rhetoricRead More Ronald Reagan Administration Essay1308 Words   |  6 Pagesgovernment regulations that had prevented mergers while supervising the banking industry. At the same time, he appointed conservatives who would carry out his vision of smaller government to agencies like the EPA, his cabinet, and the courts. Anti-Communism was the cornerstone of the Reagan administrations foreign policy. The Reagan Doctrine had a turbulent relationship with the Soviet Union and Central America, more so than with other nations. President Reagan pushed for a space-based missile systemRead MoreThe Battle Of The Cold War1526 Words   |  7 PagesBoth nations held dramatically different worldviews, nurtured by their domestic values. The Soviet Union envisioned a world-wide global revolution leading to a Communist utopia. The United States believed in democracy and private enterprise. As their World War II coalition melted away in the face of growing political disagreements, the rhetoric of both nations turned shriller and argumentative, making faith in negotiations and treaties virtually non-existent. The Space Race became a symbol of the broadRead MoreThe Age Of Mccarthyism By Joseph Mccarthy1151 Words   |  5 Pagesconsisting of convoluted accusations and fabrication of a sensitive topic regarding communist infiltration within America. Joe McCarthy’s unfounded allegations naming supposed ‘communist subversives’ instilled fear and anxiety among Americans. This was exacerbated by the anxiety associated with the concerns of an escalating Cold War. McCarthy was motivated by his political ambition and thus used the anti-communist crusade as a scapegoat, to benefit his political career. It became increasingly apparentRead MoreJulius And Ethel Rosenberg Was Spies For The Soviet Union Essay1333 Words   |  6 Pagesoffset the spread of communism within the government, Truman created a loyalty security program for the federal government to inquire into possible communist sympathizing employees. Other government agencies tried to halt the alleged threat of communism as well. The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) was created to investigate claims of communism within the United States government. Truman also created a media machine that would perpetuate pro-western rhetoric throughout the Cold WarRead MoreThe Cold War Between The United States Of America And The Soviet Union1501 Words   |  7 Pageswas one use of media that perpetuated the negative effects of Soviet Union political influence while promoting the righteousness of the United States. The visual rhetoric presented in â€Å"The Red Iceberg† propaganda, and others alike, instigated an emotional and fearful mindset among most Americans contributing to its nation wide anti-communist attitude and glorification of United States values and governmental policies. Through use of the media and other cultural aspects during the Cold War, the UnitedRead MoreCommunism : A Great Evil1011 Words   |  5 PagesCommunism is a lot like a bad relationship. It looked good on pap er. In regards to the world’s most feared form of government, two things have been historically recurring. First, communism falls when those in power fall victim to the vice of greed. And second, most important to the US-centric concerns of The West, the United States shows a consistent opposition to the ideals of communism. The most notable example of America’s great fear of the perceived evils of communism can be seen during the 1950sRead MoreThe Cold War Between East And West From The End Of The Ussr Essay1596 Words   |  7 Pages From 1948 to 1991 countless anti-communist films were made, dominating the stage of transnational politics and geostrategic affairs between East and West from the beginning to the end of the USSR. The Cold War would impose an atmosphere bursting with tension on the world film production arena. The main tense issues that prevailed included but were not limited to: Communist expansionism, American Imperialism, an arms race including a nuclear menace, the subjugation of space, and the infamous intelligenceRead MoreThe Literary And Pop Culture Vampire Of The 1950s1448 Words   |  6 Pagesinterpreted as anti-communism propaganda. The film is a composite of western and horror film, although it does not directly state, the vampire is casted as the communist disease. The disease metaphor relates the vampire to the spread of Communism infecting the America way of life. In a testimony in front of the HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee), FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover used a disease metaphor to discuss the communist threat. This metaphor became part of cold war rhetoric. Hoover statesRead MoreThe Political Climate In The United States Has Been Forever1624 Words   |  7 PagesVietnam because of the Cold War and the Cold War started fundamentally because of the ideological differences that the U.S. had with the Soviets (Communism vs Democracy). Although it’s somewhat unfair to say that the U.S. is a little like the USSR, in a way the two nations are similar. While it s true that the U.S. argued against the spread of Communism, the nation itself was trying to increase its sphere of influence around the world believing that America’s capitalistic system and form of democracy