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''' Joseph Raymond McCarthy''' ([[November 14]], [[1908]] – [[May 2]], [[1957]]) was a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] from the state of [[Wisconsin]] between 1947 and 1957. Beginning in 1950, McCarthy became the most visible public figure to stand up against [[communist]] infiltration of the [[United States]]. He was noted for claiming that there were large numbers of [[Communist party|Communists]] and [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] spies and sympathizers inside the federal government. Ultimately, his aggressive anticommunist tactics led to his being pilloried by the left in the [[Mainstream media]] and censured by the [[United States Senate]]. The term "[[McCarthyism]]," coined in 1950 in reference to McCarthy's practices, was soon applied to similar anti-communist pursuits.  

''' Joseph Raymond McCarthy''' ([[November 14]], [[1908]] – [[May 2]], [[1957]]) was a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] from the state of [[Wisconsin]] between 1947 and 1957. Beginning in 1950, McCarthy became the most visible public figure to stand up against a percieved [[communist]] infiltration of the [[United States]]. He was noted for claiming that there were large numbers of [[Communist party|Communists]] and [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] spies and sympathizers inside the federal government. Ultimately, his aggressive anticommunist tactics led to his being censured by the [[United States Senate]]. The term "[[McCarthyism]]," coined in 1950 in reference to McCarthy's practices, was soon applied to similar dogmatic pursuits.  

==Early life==

==Early life==

Born and raised on a Wisconsin farm, McCarthy earned a law degree at [[Marquette University]] in 1935 and was elected as a circuit judge in 1939, the youngest in state history.

Born and raised on a Wisconsin farm, McCarthy earned a law degree at [[Marquette University]] in 1935 and was elected as a circuit judge in 1939, the youngest in state history.

At age 33, McCarthy recognized the public recognition that came with being a veteran, and volunteered for the [[United States Marine Corps]] and served during [[World War II]], although he was still a circuit judge at that time. He managed to maintain his post even while he was away for years. He served mainly as a briefing officer, who was responsible for informing pilots of their mission. (4) McCarthy was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1952, but it was later discovered that he had exaggerated the number of missions he had flown in order to be eligible for this award.  It was later revealed that he had exaggerated other aspects of his service as well (1,2).

At age 33, McCarthy volunteered for the [[United States Marine Corps]] and served during [[World War II]], although he was still a circuit judge at that time. He maintained his post even while he was away for years. He served mainly as a briefing officer, who was responsible for informing pilots of their mission. (4) McCarthy was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1952, but it was later discovered that he had exaggerated the number of missions he had flown in order to be eligible for this award.  It was later revealed that he had exaggerated other aspects of his service as well (1,2).

While serving in the Pacific he ran in the Republican primary for Senate in 1944, but lost to Alexander Wiley, a longtime independent incumbent. He successfully ran again two years later defeating [[Robert M. La Follette, Jr]].

While serving in the Pacific he ran in the Republican primary for Senate in 1944, but lost to Alexander Wiley, a longtime independent incumbent. He successfully ran again two years later defeating [[Robert M. La Follette, Jr]].

==Tensions of the times==

==Tensions of the times==

In 1947 no single individual in the US Government realized that evidence of massive Soviet espionage in the U.S. government was developing on twin tracks. There was an FBI counterintelligence investigation which empanelled a grand jury in New York, and the Army Signal Intelligence Service at Arlington Hall reading Soviet cipher decrypts.  It was a case of one hand not knowing what the other was doing.  So when McCarthy later made charges that the Truman administration knowingly protected Soviet agents, on the surface, this appeared to large sectors of the American public as true.

In 1947, evidence of Soviet espionage in the U.S. government was developing on twin tracks. (citation needed) There was an FBI counterintelligence investigation which empanelled a grand jury in New York, and the Army Signal Intelligence Service at Arlington Hall reading Soviet cipher decrypts.  It was a case of one hand not knowing what the other was doing.  So when McCarthy later made charges that the Truman administration knowingly protected Soviet agents, on the surface, this appeared to large sectors of the American public as true.

*Beginning  24 June 1948 the first major crisis of the [[Cold War]] exposed the rift in the [[Allied Powers|Alliance of World War II]] which had defeated Germany, when Soviet troops blockaded access points to Berlin, sparking the first Berlin Crisis, and lasting a year.

*Beginning  24 June 1948 the first major crisis of the [[Cold War]] exposed the rift in the [[Allied Powers|Alliance of World War II]] which had defeated Germany, when Soviet troops blockaded access points to Berlin, sparking the first Berlin Crisis, and lasting a year.

*In May 1951, two members of the [[Cambridge Five]] — [[Donald MacLean]], Second Secretary of the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., and [[Guy Burgess]] — defected to Moscow after it was discovered MacLean transmitted information on the atom bomb from the British Embassy to the Soviet Union during World War II.  

*In May 1951, two members of the [[Cambridge Five]] — [[Donald MacLean]], Second Secretary of the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., and [[Guy Burgess]] — defected to Moscow after it was discovered MacLean transmitted information on the atom bomb from the British Embassy to the Soviet Union during World War II.  

McCarthy sought to characterize President Truman and the Democratic party as soft on or even in league with the Communists.  McCarthy's allegations fell flat with Truman who, unaware of [[Venona project]] decrypts which corroborated [[Elizabeth Bentley]]'s debriefing after her defection from the Communists.

McCarthy sought to characterize President Truman and the Democratic party as soft on or even in league with the Communists.  McCarthy's allegations fell flat with Truman who was unaware of [[Venona project]] decrypts which corroborated [[Elizabeth Bentley]]'s debriefing after her defection from the Communists.

McCarthy made charges of Communist infiltration of the State Department, the administration of [[Harry Truman|President Truman]], [[Voice of America]], and a [[United States Army]] research laboratory. He tried to expose government employees as CPUSA members and security risks. With the highly publicized [[Army-McCarthy hearings]] of 1954, McCarthy's support and popularity began to fade due to the efforts of the mainstream media and his lack of actual evidence and defendant convictions. Later in 1954, a special Senate committee was appointed to study and evaluate McCarthy's methods and actions. The committee exonerated McCarthy on all substantive charges. Following the recommendations of this committee, the full Senate voted to censure Senator McCarthy by a vote of 65 to 22 (the votes for censure included all the Democratic senators and about half the Republican senators) for failing to cooperate with the subcommittee that was investigating him, and for insults to the committee that was trying to censure him<ref>Senate Report 104-137 - Resolution For Disciplinary Action. Library of Congress (1995). Retrieved on 2006-10-19.</ref>, making him one of the few senators ever to be disciplined in this fashion.[http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/60.htm]  McCarthy died in [[Bethesda Naval Hospital]] on May 2, 1957, at the age of 48. The cause of his death was acute hepatitis from smoking and drinking.

McCarthy made charges of Communist infiltration of the State Department, the administration of [[Harry Truman|President Truman]], [[Voice of America]], and a [[United States Army]] research laboratory. He tried to expose government employees as CPUSA members and security risks. With the highly publicized [[Army-McCarthy hearings]] of 1954, McCarthy's support and popularity began to fade due to his lack of actual evidence and defendant convictions. Later in 1954, a special Senate committee was appointed to study and evaluate McCarthy's methods and actions. The committee exonerated McCarthy on all substantive charges (citation needed). Following the recommendations of this committee, the full Senate voted to censure Senator McCarthy by a vote of 65 to 22 (the votes for censure included all the Democratic senators and about half the Republican senators) for failing to cooperate with the subcommittee that was investigating him, and for insults to the committee that was trying to censure him <ref>Senate Report 104-137 - Resolution For Disciplinary Action. Library of Congress (1995). Retrieved on 2006-10-19.</ref>, making him one of the few senators ever to be disciplined in this fashion. [http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/60.htm]  McCarthy died in [[Bethesda Naval Hospital]] on May 2, 1957, at the age of 48. The cause of his death was acute hepatitis from smoking and drinking.

==VENONA files==

==VENONA files==