Joseph+McCarthy+-+Villareale

=Joseph McCarthy= =(November 14, 1908 – May 2, 1957)=


 * He contributed to the Cold War by expanding the fear of communism in the US. He accused anyone and everyone of being communist. This frightened people that communsim would come to the US next. He was the source of McCarthyism in the US.
 * This occured from the fall of 1953 to the winter of 1954.
 * These accusations mainly occured within the Senate, but the hearings were put on national television.
 * McCarthy did these things because, according to his friends, he was doing the right thing by trying to get the communists out of the government. He was trying to stop communism from entering the US, but all he really did was spread the fear of it in the US.

McCarthy was born in Grand Chute, Wisconsin. At age 14, he dropped out of school to help manage his family's farm. At age 20, he decided to go to high school. He graduated in a year. He then spent 5 years in college, studying engineering, then law. He eventually earned a law degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee. In 1936, he tried unsuccessfully to become a district attorney as a Democrat. (He then switched to become a Republican) He then became a circuit judge in 1939 for the 10th district. He also made extra money by gambling.
 * Early Life**

In 1942, McCarthy enrolled in the Marines. He didn't have to fight in the war because he held a judicial office, but he did anyway. After completing basic training, he immediately became a second lieutenant because of his education. Some people say that he chose the Marines because he hoped it would influence his political career more than any other branch of the military. Most people say that he lied about most of his war record. While still on active duty in 1944, he ran for __Republican__ Senate nomination and failed. (Previously, he tried to become the __Democratic__ district attorney) After resigning from his post in April 1945, he was reelected for his old job as the circuit judge. He also worked on his campaign for the Republican senate spot for the election of 1946. McCarthy's record was basically conservative, but he really didn't follow the Republican party the whole way. Since communism was a big part of McCarthy's time, he accused many people in the State Department of being communists. He accused that U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson that he knew of about 200 communist in the department. McCarthy said that he knew the names of about 50 of them, so he called for an investigation. But when investigated, none of them were supported. Even though the investigation was finished, McCarthy wouldn't back off. He kept insisting and the media was all over him. He soon became the most famous political figure after President Truman. He kept accusing people of being communist, though there was no proof. After all of this unacceptable behavior, McCarthy was investigated. The basis for their investigation was McCarthy's unethical behavior during his campaigns and tax returns. They found no evidence to support these accusations though. And McCarthy was even re-elected for a second term after all that had happened.
 * Military**
 * Senate: The Start of McCarthyism**

In 1953, McCarthy investigated the Army Signal Corps, but failed to find anything. Afterward, reporters turned against McCarthy for how he had treated General Ralph W. Zwicker. Then, CBS's Edward R. Murrow aired a broadcast called "See It Now," which attacked McCarthy. After that, the army filed a report against McCarthy for the army being pressured into favoring G. David Schine, who was an aid to McCarthy before he was drafted. McCarthy counter-charged, saying that the army was using Schine to pressure McCarthy. The hearings were presented on national television from mid-April to mid-June. Because McCarthy objected so many times, people started to make fun of him. After attacking a young lawyer, Joseph Nye Welsh, the army's cheif counsel, Welsh said this famous quote: "Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you no sense of decency?" There was never a resolution to this case, but McCarthy reputation suffered greatly. Soon after, the Senate censored him, by a vote of 67-22, and called McCarthy's behavior "inexcusable," "reprehensible," "vulgar and insulting." McCarthy stayed in the Senate, but he had little power and no one payed him any attention.
 * Army vs. McCarthy**

McCarthy had always had health problems. He had severe sinus problems and a herniated diaphragm, which led to surgery. He also was an alcoholic. He always drank heavily, but after the court cast, he drank even more: "dangerous levels" his friends called them. All of that heavy drinking lead to liver ailments. Because of the liver ailments, in April 1957, he was taken to the hospital. A month later, May 2, 1957, Joseph McCarthy died at Bethesda Naval Hospital from acute hepatitis.
 * McCarthy's Death**

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