Joseph McCarthy: The Red Scare

     Joseph McCarthy was an unknown senator who, overnight, came to great fame after stating that the U.S. government had been compromised on the inside by more than 100 Soviet spies. That accusation spread across the country and rallied peoples' dislike of comunism as McCarthy gained power in the senate. 

     The quote, "Joe McCarthy got it all wrong and yet was still closer to the truth than those who ridiculed him," refers to McCarthy's rise in power, but then exploitation of that power to create fear and anxiety within American politics. McCarthy was wrong to use his fame for reckless means of hunting down comunism, however in the end he was right about the existence of Soviet spies within the government. When intelligence cables between the K.B.G. and Soviet Union were decoded in the 1990's, it was apparent that spies within the U.S. government had been sending information to the Soviet Union about America's atomic weapons program and diplomatic strategies. Looking back on the event, McCarthy does deserves some gratitude for his shocking insight, but could also have handled the situation in a less dramatic matter.  

Historical Fiction: 4 - World War 2

May. 4, 1939

Good morning. It is a beautiful sunny Saturday today so my mother can't believe I'm not already out with my friends, but I couldn't wait to write in this thing. She told me this journal used to belong to my grandfather during World War One, so I'm going to make an entree about, what my Dad calls, the next big war. 

I've seen many news clippings in the theater lately about what's been going on back in Europe, and many people figure these rising tensions will soon result in open conflict. Not that the conflict in the Pacific wasn't terrible enough between Japan stealing territory from China and the League of Nations stepping in to stop it in 1937, but to me Germany just seems to be more dangerous than Japan.

For one thing, Germany's new supreme dictator Adolf Hitler has changed a lot about the country. Even before he was named dictator in 1933, Hitler had gained political power by exploiting Germany's hate for the Treaty of Versalles and The League of Nations. Both were responsible for Germany's post-war debts of 33 billion dollars, extreme inflation, and crumpled economy and government. Hitler also blamed all of country's economic woes on the Jews as he joined the Nazis political party in 1919. There he gave the Nazis the swastika, and formed his own private army. 

But the most disturbing thing that's happened, is that Hitler didn't stop there when building an army. After he became the dictator he began to secretly rearm Germany and created alliances with Italy, Russia, and Japan. This allowed him to attack and conquer Rhineland. However neither Britain nor France have done anything about it. My Dad tells me they probably think Germany will stop there and not take any more territory, but we don't believe that this is the end. Now that Germany is a fascist state with full government control over the politics, economy, and culture it seems like Hitler will continue to use military force in the future. 

But all of this speculation of a new war has been years in the making. Many parents in my neighborhood have been suspicious of foreign crusades since World War One, making their kids paranoid and constantly reminding me how the war was a mistake. I also personally know three men in my neighborhood who are members of the Veterans of Future Wars, and have demanded for 1,000 dollar bonuses since 1936 thinking they will fight in a future war. My mom is  even a member of the Future Gold Star Mothers, who demand government pensions to visit their son's graves who would die in a future war. This makes me scared of what will happen to my older brother Chris if a war broke out; my mom would probably force him to go for the pensions. 

Talking about my mom, she just said my friends came over to look for me. But I'll keep this book under my bedside so I can write in it again, that is if my mother doesn't find out I stole it from her closet to make an entree. See you tomorrow!

Chapter 12: Mexican Emigration in the early 20s

1. Thousands of Mexicans in the early 1900s came to America because of multiple push and pull factors. One factor leading to their emigration was the fighting currently transporting in the Mexico from the Mexican Revolution. Making families wish to the leave the more dangerous conditions in Mexico. A pull factor was the increase of pay and the possibility to start a new life in the States. To help with the emigration, the finished construction of the Mexican railroad leading to America brought more Mexicans more easily to the states than ever before. Jobs were also much more plentiful, and with American-working Mexican representatives urging Mexican men to come work up north, there was a lot of opportunity seen for those who eventually immigrated. These jobs ranged from working on farms to the railroads and even in car factories, however were all manual labor occupations. And with time, allowed many men to bring their families up north as well.