History of Red Scare in Timeline

Red Scare refers to periods of intense anti-communism and fear of left-wing ideologies, particularly communism and socialism, spreading within a society. The term is derived from the red flag, a symbol of communism. Historically, Red Scares have resulted in widespread political persecution, blacklisting, and the removal of individuals with suspected ties to leftist movements from government or other positions of influence. These periods are characterized by heightened suspicion, paranoia, and actions taken to suppress perceived threats to national security.

June 1917: Espionage Act passed

In June 1917, Congress passed the Espionage Act in response to World War I. The Act prevented any information relating to national defense from being used to harm the United States or to aid her enemies. The Wilson administration used this act to make anything "urging treason" a "nonmailable matter".

1917: Espionage Act of 1917 deemed constitutional

In 1917, the Espionage Act of 1917 was deemed constitutional by the Supreme Court.

1917: Revolutions of 1917–1923

In 1917, the Russian Revolution (specifically the October Revolution) and Revolutions of 1917–1923 occurred. Citizens of the United States were intensely patriotic during World War I, and anarchist and left-wing social agitation aggravated national, social, and political tensions.

1918: Sedition Act of 1918 legislated

In 1918, President Woodrow Wilson pressured Congress to legislate the anti-anarchist Sedition Act of 1918 to protect wartime morale by deporting putatively undesirable political people. President Wilson used the Sedition Act of 1918 to limit the exercise of free speech by criminalizing language deemed disloyal to the United States government.

1918: Sedition Act of 1918 deemed constitutional

In 1918, the Sedition Act of 1918 was deemed constitutional by the Supreme Court.

April 1919: Authorities discover bombing plot

In April 1919, authorities discovered a plot for mailing 36 bombs to prominent members of the U.S. political and economic establishment.

June 1919: Bombs explode in eight cities

On 2 June 1919, eight bombs exploded simultaneously in eight cities. One target was the Washington, D.C., house of U.S. Attorney General Palmer, where the explosion killed the bomber. Afterwards, Palmer ordered the U.S. Justice Department to launch the Palmer Raids.

1919: Increased number of strikes

In 1919, there was an increase in the number of strikes to record levels, with more than 3,600 separate strikes by a wide range of workers. The press portrayed these worker strikes as "radical threats to American society" inspired by "left-wing, foreign agents provocateurs".

May 1920: Palmer warns of left-wing revolution

In May 1920, Palmer warned that a government-deposing left-wing revolution would begin on 1 May 1920—May Day, the International Workers' Day. When it failed to happen, he was ridiculed and lost much credibility.

July 1920: Palmer's bid for U.S. presidency fails

In July 1920, Palmer's once-promising Democratic Party bid for the U.S. presidency failed.

September 1920: Wall Street bombing

On 16 September 1920, Wall Street was bombed near Federal Hall National Memorial and the JP Morgan Bank. Although both anarchists and communists were suspected as being responsible for the bombing, ultimately no individuals were indicted for the bombing.

August 1939: Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact signed

In August 1939, the Soviet Union signed the non-aggression Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact with Nazi Germany, leading to a rise in negative attitudes towards communists in the United States.

September 1939: Soviet Union invades eastern Poland

In September 1939, the American communist party received a blunt directive from Moscow denouncing the Polish government. The Soviet Union invaded eastern Poland and occupied the Polish territory.

1939: CPUSA membership

By 1939, the CPUSA had about 50,000 members.

April 1940: Daily Worker's pro-German line

By April 1940, the party Daily Worker's line seemed not so much antiwar as simply pro-German. A pamphlet stated the Jews had just as much to fear from Britain and France as they did Germany.

August 1940: NKVD agent Ramón Mercader killed Trotsky

In August 1940, after NKVD agent Ramón Mercader killed Trotsky with an ice axe, Browder perpetuated Moscow's fiction that the killer was a disillusioned follower.

1940: Start of Espionage by Americans for the Soviet Union

From 1940 through 1980, over 300 American communists, including government officials and technicians that helped in developing the atom bomb, were found to have engaged in espionage for the Soviet Union.

1940: Alien Registration Act legislated

In 1940, the U.S. Congress legislated the Alien Registration Act (also known as the Smith Act, 18 USC § 2385) making it a crime to advocate overthrowing the government.

June 1941: Germany attacks the Soviet Union

In June 1941, Hitler broke the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact by attacking the Soviet Union. The CPUSA opposed labor strikes in the weapons industry and supporting the U.S. war effort against the Axis powers.

1945: Iron Curtain around Eastern Europe

In 1945, the Iron Curtain was erected around Eastern Europe, influencing popular opinion about U.S. national security.

1946: Kellock–Taschereau Commission investigated espionage

In 1946, the Kellock–Taschereau Commission in Canada investigated espionage after top-secret documents concerning RDX, radar and other weapons were handed over to the Soviets by a domestic spy-ring.

March 1947: President Truman signed Executive Order 9835

In March 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9835, which created the "Federal Employees Loyalty Program". This program established political-loyalty review boards to determine the "Americanism" of Federal Government employees and required all federal employees to take an oath of loyalty to the United States government.

1948: Berlin Blockade

In 1948, the Berlin Blockade occurred, contributing to the increased and widespread fear of communist espionage that was the consequence of the increasing tension in the Cold War.

1949: Chinese Communists win the Chinese Civil War

In 1949, anti-communist fear was aggravated by the Chinese Communists winning the Chinese Civil War against the Western-sponsored Kuomintang, and their founding of the Communist China.

1949: Soviet Union's first nuclear weapon test

In 1949, the Soviet Union conducted its first nuclear weapon test (RDS-1), which surprised the American public, influencing popular opinion about U.S. national security.

1949: Establishment of the People's Republic of China

In 1949, the formal establishment of the People's Republic of China meant that Asian Americans, especially those of Chinese or Korean descent, came under increasing suspicion by both American civilians and government officials of being Communist sympathizers.

December 1950: Chinese intervention in the Korean War

In December 1950, Chinese intervention in the Korean War against U.S. ally South Korea, aggravated anti-communist fear.

1950: Truman calls McCarthy greatest asset

In 1950, President Harry Truman called Joseph McCarthy "the greatest asset the Kremlin has."

1950: Joseph McCarthy Accusations

In 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy addressed the senate, citing 81 separate cases, and made accusations against suspected communists. Although he provided little or no evidence, this prompted the Senate to call for a full investigation.

1950: McCarran Internal Security Act of 1950

In 1950, Senator Pat McCarran introduced the McCarran Internal Security Act, which was passed by the U.S. Congress. The act modified a great deal of law to restrict civil liberties in the name of security. President Truman vetoed the act, but his veto was overridden by Congress.

1950: Korean War and Suspicion of Asian Americans

The beginning of the Korean War in 1950 meant that Asian Americans, especially those of Chinese or Korean descent, came under increasing suspicion by both American civilians and government officials of being Communist sympathizers.

1952: Release of My Son John

In 1952, the film My Son John was released, about parents' suspicions their son is a spy. This film is an example of feared communist espionage.

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1953: Korean War ends

In 1953, the Korean War ended.

1953: Refugee Relief Act of 1953

In 1953, the Refugee Relief Act of 1953 gave significant assistance to Chinese students who wished to settle in the United States, however, Chinese immigrants continued to face suspicion of their allegiance.

1953: Trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg

In 1953, the trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg influenced popular opinion about U.S. national security, which, in turn, was connected to the fear that the Soviet Union would drop nuclear bombs on the United States.

1954: Communist Control Act of 1954

In 1954, Congress passed the Communist Control Act of 1954, which prevented members of the communist party in America from holding office in labor unions and other labor organizations.

1954: Army-McCarthy Hearings and Censure

In 1954, after accusing the army, including war heroes, Senator Joseph McCarthy lost credibility in the eyes of the American public and the Army-McCarthy Hearings were held in the summer of 1954. He was formally censured by his colleagues in Congress and the hearings led by McCarthy came to a close.

1955: Supreme Court restricts anti-communist policies

Starting in 1955, the Supreme Court began making decisions restricting the ways in which the government could enforce its anti-communist policies, which included limiting the federal loyalty program to only those who had access to sensitive information, allowing defendants to face their accusers, reducing the strength of congressional investigation committees, and weakening the Smith Act.

1957: Yates v. United States

In 1957, the Supreme Court case Yates v. United States limited Congress's ability to circumvent the First Amendment.

1959: Supreme Court restricts anti-communist policies

Continuing from 1955, in 1959 the Supreme Court continued making decisions restricting the ways in which the government could enforce its anti-communist policies.

1961: Scales v. United States

In 1961, in the case Scales v. United States, the Supreme Court limited Congress's ability to circumvent the First Amendment.

1967: United States v. Robel

In 1967 during the Supreme Court case United States v. Robel, the Supreme Court ruled that a ban on communists in the defense industry was unconstitutional.

1980: End of Espionage Activities

From 1940 through 1980, over 300 American communists, whether they knew it or not, including government officials and technicians that helped in developing the atom bomb, were found to have engaged in espionage for the Soviet Union.

1991: End of the Iron Curtain

In 1991, the Iron Curtain ended, which influenced popular opinion about U.S. national security.

1995: Declassification of Venona Project Details

In 1995, the American government declassified details of the Venona Project following the Moynihan Commission, which when combined with the opening of the USSR Comintern archives, provided substantial validation of intelligence gathering, outright spying, and policy influencing, by Americans on behalf of the Soviet Union, from 1940 through 1980.

2000: Start of Chinese Espionage

Between 2000 and 2023, there were 224 reported instances of Chinese espionage directed at the United States.

March 2019: Establishment of Committee on the Present Danger: China

On 25 March 2019, the fourth iteration of the Committee on the Present Danger, a United States foreign policy interest group, was established and branded itself Committee on the Present Danger: China (CPDC).